


The Curious Case of the Man in the Trunk

by The_Clamp



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Claustrophobia, Crime Scenes, Crossdressing, Danger, Derogatory Language, Exhaustion, Explicit Sexual Content, Feelings of guilt, Guilt, Homicide Investigation AU, Hyungwon is Lovably Weird, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Murder, Officer Lee - Freeform, Officer Son, Panic Attacks, Professional Rivalry, Prostitution, Sexual Content, Side HyungWonho, Violence, graphic content, references to sexual abuse, very strong language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2020-12-13 16:07:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 70,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21000434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Clamp/pseuds/The_Clamp
Summary: _“The world isn’t black and white. Good and bad don’t end where the other begins.”Hyunwoo is promoted to be one of the youngest senior homicide investigators in the country. A body is found in the trunk of an abandoned car and Hyunwoo is assigned to lead the investigation.He does whatever it takes to try and solve the murder with help from his old partner, Officer Lee Hoseok and Dr. Yoo, the forensics specialist with a stunning smile and a love for being out in the field.Oh, and flirty streetwise prostitute Lee Minhyuk and Dr. Chae, the pathologist with absolutely no social skills.Runaways, plot twists, murder, workplace crushes and professional rivalries!





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys welcome to my new fic! :D Time for a good old fashioned whodunit crime solving mystery! 
> 
> Please be warned this does get dark and gritty because apparently I can’t write a multi chap that isn’t ^^;  
**Oh, and only this little prologue/intro is written as a first person narration! From then on it’s third person.**
> 
> First full chapter drops tomorrow!

_“My name is Son Hyunwoo. _

_I joined the police academy the day I left school. I wanted to be a man of the law ever since I was a little kid. I wanted to help people and protect those who needed it. I wanted to be a force for good. The world is so simple when you’re a child. The law is good and criminals are bad because they break the law. Only bad people break the law. Good Vs evil. Simple and straight forward._

_Obviously, I learned quickly that the world isn’t black and white. I wasn’t sheltered, so it was something I realised early on when my childlike innocence left me. Everyone grows into reality at some point, after all. _

_The world isn’t black and white. Good and bad don’t end where the other begins. A notion compounded in me when I made my first ever arrest._

_I was fresh out of the academy. He was a young man who was selling his body to keep a roof over his head and care for his severely disabled sister. His crying from the back seat of the squad car haunted me for a long time. He begged me not to bring him in. He offered me services and money. Anything. He was so desperate because if he went to jail there’d be nobody too take care of his sister. _

_But my mentor was adamant I bring him in. _

_To make matters worse, I didn’t recognise the young man at first, with his face covered in makeup and wearing a long wig and a short dress. It turned out we had gone to the same school and grown up on the same street as one another. Not that we interacted much, my parents wouldn’t let me play with him because apparently he’d be a bad influence on me. Even though we weren’t exactly friends, it certainly made the whole situation hit a lot closer to home._

_The guilt I felt as my mentor slapped me on the back and congratulated me on my first arrest still kicks me in the gut when I think about it. That young prostitute didn’t deserve being handcuffed and forced into a squad car. He didn’t deserve to be treated like scum by the booking Officer and being literally thrown into an overcrowded holding cell with nine leering men. He didn’t deserve the hefty fine he got slapped with, either. It would only mean he’d have to sell his body all the more. _

_Yes, technically he was breaking the law. But he was not a bad person and he wasn’t hurting anyone. He had just been dealt a terrible hand by the universe and was doing what he could to get by. Thank god he was spared jail. _

_Your first arrest is supposed to be a point of pride but for me it brought only shame. The congratulatory beers my colleagues bought me tasted bitter but they served to numb my brain from the guilt a little that night. _

_But this isn’t about my first arrest. It’s about the first case I took as one of the country’s youngest leading homicide investigators. A case assigned to me two days after my promotion._

_It was something I’d worked towards for my whole career. I was proud and so determined my first case would be solved. I’d worked on a lot of frankly disturbing cases, especially since I’d joined homicide investigation. I’d seen humanity at its most tragic and at it’s absolute worst. I’d looked into the eyes of killers who’ve laughed at the crime scene images of their victims. I’ve been threatened at gunpoint and feared for my life. I’ve seen anguish and I’ve seen misery. _

_But this case will always stand out to me, not because it was the first in my new role, but because of the nature of it. Because of the people involved. Because of the people affected. _

_But above all, it made me do something I never thought I would._

_Would I act differently if I had another chance? If I was able to do all of this again?_

_No. _

_No I would not. Even though my old self would probably condemn my actions. A lot of people probably would.” _


	2. The Body

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A body is found and Officer Son is reunited with a familiar face. The investigation begins and the race to find the killer is on!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are! Chapter one! 
> 
> Warnings: contains descriptions of a dead body. Tried to keep it not too grotesque.

**Tuesday. 24th of July. 2018.**

It was 7am when Hyunwoo got the call to come out to where a body had been found. Apparently, it had been discovered in a vehicle on the side of a relatively quiet road on the way out of Seoul in the direction of Incheon. It was a route less travelled since the newer, bigger highways had been built and was flanked either side by what was basically wasteland which used to be a riverbed. 

He poured some coffee into a flask to drink on the way. This was his first case as a lead investigator. Exciting and nerve wracking in equal parts, even though he’d worked in homicide for a few years already and had proved himself to be a fast learner. He pushed the feeling of excitement away, though. It felt wrong to be excited because in the end, someone had lost their life. He would allow the excitement to come when the killer had their sentence handed down to them by the judge. 

Justice. A killer locked safely away behind bars where they can’t hurt another innocent person. As it should be. That’s why he did this, after all. To protect people,

When he arrived at the scene, he could already smell the pungent odour of death in the increasingly humid summer air. It wasn’t even 9am and the heat was already building, he loosened his his necktie and rolled up his shirt sleeves. At least no longer being required to wear uniform had it’s advantages during the punishing Korean summers. He savoured his last few breaths of AC before he switched off the engine. 

Stepping out of his car, he looked over the scene. There wasn’t much to see except for the vehicle and the forensics team already out in force in their white overalls. 

One person stood out to him, however. A familiar face he hadn’t seen since he was fresh from the academy. He’d recognise that flaming red hair and those sharp eyes anywhere. Yoo Kihyun. He’d been finishing up his internship there just as Hyunwoo had started working for KNPA. He was even younger than Hyunwoo, a true prodigy from what he remembered. He’d caught Hyunwoo’s attention when he saw him on scene after a drugs bust. They’d gotten to talking and ended up spending their lunches together and hanging out after work for the remaining two weeks Kihyun had there. Hyunwoo had developed a stupid crush on him at the time, back when he was still trying to come to terms with his sexuality. 

Hyunwoo always regretted not getting his number to stay in contact with him. He’d liked Kihyun, more than he should have. 

But there he was, now walking over towards Hyunwoo. Hair as ostentatious as ever and face having lost it’s baby fat, showing off his cheekbones. 

“Are you the investigating officer?” Kihyun asked as he looked down at the badge hanging around Hyunwoo’s neck.

“Oh. Yes, I am.” Did Kihyun not recognise him? He shouldn’t be surprised, they hadn’t known each other for long and it had been years. Besides, unlike Kihyun, Hyunwoo didn’t consider himself to have any distinguishing features. There wasn’t much memorable about him. Of course the younger didn’t recognise him. 

“Sorry, I should introduce myself. I’m Dr. Yoo Kihyun. I’ve just transferred from the Busan branch, I’m overseeing forensic analysis on this case.” He dipped his head in a respectful bow. “My understanding is that the vehicle was called in last night by man who drives this route regularly. He noticed it had been out here at least a couple of days. When the highway authorities came to take it away they noticed the blood on the ground and the smell coming from the trunk and so they popped it open. Biiiig mistake.” The redhead explained. Then a look of realisation washed over the sharp yet pretty features. “Wait. Son Hyunwoo? It is you, right?

“Yep, hey.” He gave an awkward wave, He shouldn’t be as happy as he was that he remembered him. “Thought you wouldn’t remember me.”

“Of course I remember. Wow. It’s been years. Look at you, a lead investigator in the homicide department.” He looked genuinely impressed. 

“This is actually my first case since my promotion.” He admitted. 

“Well, congratulations. I’d shake you hand but...” He held up his gloved hands. “Person residue.” 

“Thank you. I hope I don’t let everyone down.” Focus. He needed to focus on the task at hand, not this reunion. As nice as it was. 

“I’m sure you’ll do great.” Kihyun assured him and held up a pair of plastic shoe covers. “Wanna come take a look?”

“_Want_ is a strong word but I suppose I must.” He took the things and slipped them onto his feet ungracefully, hopping a little to keep his balance. His own awkwardness didn’t escape him. 

“Hey, you’re the lead investigator, after all. Officer Bigshot.” Kihyun adjusted his glasses and smiled at him. Ah, that smile. He almost forgot how nice that smile was. 

“Please hold off on congratulations until I prove I deserved this promotion.”

“Such a standard reply, you should congratulate yourself. Don’t be so humble.” A vague memory of Kihyun scolding him for being too humble rose to the surface. 

Hyunwoo followed him over to the abandoned car. A black Hyundai Kona. It was sitting about four meters off the side of the road. The smell was already making him nauseous. He was glad of it, in a way. He never wanted to get used to the smell of a human rotting away. He swatted at a few of the flies in the air and peered into the trunk, trying and failing to stop himself from gagging. 

The body was badly decomposed, skin sloughing off the bones from the humidity and heat. There were insects feasting on the decaying flesh, their larvae festering away. A few days in a hot car will do that. “Ugh. This is why I hate summer. Jesus.” 

“I’ve smelled worse.” Kihyun didn’t seem especially bothered by the scene in front of them. 

“I dread to think. Shit.” Hyunwoo walked around the vehicle, seeing blood stains spattered on the inside and outside of it and what was probably a whole lot of blood soaked into the ground. 

He’d seen all he needed for now and walked away upwind a little. The smell of decay was clinging to the inside of his nostrils and the back of his throat, still threatening to make him vomit. Death was something he’d never get used to. Of that, he was sure. He never understood how the likes of Kihyun or their pathologist, Hyungwon, could be so seemingly unaffected. Emotionally or physically. 

But he supposed they had to get up a lot more close and personal with the remains. They probably had no choice but to separate themselves so as not to let it get to him. That thought alone made Hyunwoo a little sad for some reason. Someone had to do the job, though.

“There’s a lot of blood and prints so far.” Kihyun offered. 

“Yeah.” He checked his phone, seeing a message from his partner. Or ex-partner, he supposed. “Do you remember Hoseok?”

“Officer Bunny? Of course. He had a crush on the crypt keeper, right?” 

“I assume you mean Hyungwon?” Hyunwoo chuckled. He remembered they Kihyun and Hyungwon had studied together and were on the same internship, too. They certainly didn’t get along. “You know Hyungwon came back to work with us the year after his internship, right?”

“What?” Kihyun’s eyes widened. 

“Yep. He’s our forensic pathologist.”

“Oh god, I requested the forensic pathologist to come out on scene before we attempt to move the remains. It’s basically soup by now, no way we can extract it without destroying their integrity. I said he should be here to document them initially.” 

“Yeah, Hoseok is bringing him out here now since he doesn’t drive. He just text me. He’s not far away and apparently Hyungwon isn’t pleased about having to come out into the field.”

“Ugh he’s still a shut-in, then. It’ll cheer him up when he has to pass this one though a sieve. He always loved the advanced decomposition ones. Weirdo.” Kihyun shrugged. 

Hyunwoo looked up and down the road. No skid marks or debris as far as he could see. “Looks like the car was just parked there, I see no signs of it being run off the road or anything else untoward. “What have we picked up so far?”

“Just a lot of blood on the back seat as well as the outside and inside of the vehicle on the passenger’s side. As you saw there’s good amount of blood on the ground there. The guys found ground disturbance there too and what looks like drag marks to the trunk with more blood. We’re working on taking initial samples for DNA and lifting prints right now. Once the remains are out we can take the vehicle in and comb over it properly.” Kihyun explained. 

At that moment, a marked police car pulled up along the road near where Hyunwoo was parked.

“That must be Hoseok.” 

“Ah, Dr. Frankenstein and Officer Bunny.” Kihyun commented blandly. 

An officer in uniform got out of the drivers side. He waved over at Kihyun and Hyunwoo before going around and opening the other door. It seemed like he was pleading with someone to get out of the vehicle. 

“Y’know... I could report him for not being fit to do his job. He needs to suck it up and come into the field sometimes.” The redhead said dryly. “Always knew he’d end up as a pathologist. It suits him. Social isolation and dead people.”

“He’s just anxious outside his natural habitat.” Ok, so Hyungwon was unusual, yes, but Hyunwoo would defend him no matter what because he was a nice kid, really. He liked his refreshing oddness. 

Kihyun just hummed in response as they watched the officer drag a lanky young man out of the car and guide him over to join them. 

“Hey guys, sorry for the delay.” Hoseok apologised. 

“Don’t worry Hoseok, I only just got here myself.” Hyunwoo greeted the other officer. Despite his promotion, he still considered Hoseok to be his partner and his equal. He probably always would. “Remember Dr. Yoo?”

“Oh yeah! Your hair is still red!”

“Good morning Officer Son. Hello Kihyun.” The tall skinny man said robotically, eyes barely open. He looked like he’d only just woken up, his hair an unruly mess and his thick round framed glasses sitting crookedly on his slightly puffy face. He didn’t seem surprised to see Kihyun at all. 

“Dr. Yoo.” Kihyun corrected. 

“I apologise. I was confused as you used to make up names for me so I didn’t know where we stood on how we should address each other.”

Kihyun chose to ignore that statement. “Go suit up in the tent, your new friend is waiting for you in the trunk. Remember protocols, this is an active crime scene. Sorry to interrupt your sleep patterns. Dr. Chae.” He placed extra emphasis on the title. 

“Thank you Dr. Yoo. I apologise for taking so long. Perhaps you can deduct the time I took from the entire year of additional time you required to complete your education over me.” Hyungwon said simply and hurried away to do his job. 

It was a rare and special moment when Yoo Kihyun was rendered speechless. That much, Hyunwoo remembered. 

“Wow, did he just shade you?” Hoseok laughed. 

“I did not take an extra year, he was accepted the year after me at the fast track level and so he completed it a year early. We finished at the same time. He was a weirdo back then, too. Used to talk to the cadavers.”

“He still does talk to them. He calls them clients, though. I think it’s quite nice.” Hoseok explained. Hyungwon didn’t like people coming into his lab space, though Hoseok seemed to be an acceptation to the rule. Hyunwoo himself had only witnessed the pathologist chattering away to the so-called clients through the postmortem tapes. It was strange seeing Hyungwon so talkative, even if it was with the dead. 

“Of course you do. Do you still have a crush big enough they can see it from the international space station?” Kihyun teases. 

“I-I do not!”

“Can we please focus on the reason we’re here?” Hyunwoo cut in. He was getting distracted again. There was plenty of time for chitchat later. Now, he had a job to do. They all did. 

“Oh yeah, sorry. I ran the licence plate on the way here. The car was reported stolen a week ago from a location in the Jamsilbon-dong area of Seoul.”

“Damn. That makes things less straightforward.” Hyunwoo sighed. He had to get this right. Fucking up wasn’t an option. 

____________________  
____________________

**Thursday. 26th July. 2018.**

“I’ve completed my report.” Hyungwon dropped a messily handwritten report onto Hyunwoo’s desk. 

“Oh?”

“Yes. It was very simple. Male. Deceased for approximately 90 hours. Slightly overweight. Approximately 180cm tall. Minor scoliosis. Probably suffered with chronic back pain due to a herniated L2-L3 disc. In his mid to late 50s with an unhealthy lifestyle. Excessive alcohol consumption on a regular bases.” 

“What about cause of death?”

Hyungwon blinked at him like he was working out wether he should be offended by the interruption or not. “Please don’t interrupt me. I was getting to it.”

“Sorry, sorry. Please, continue.” 

“Found multiple fractures to the skull and ribs. Judging by the fracture patterns and what was a massive subdural haemorrhage I can say with every confidence that cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. There were flecks of paint in the wounds which probably came off the murder weapon. Likely a cylindrical weapon such as a pipe or baseball bat. Probable dimensions are in the report. It was hard to be accurate because of the number of injuries in close proximity. Also, the victim had their back to the assailant when he was first struck and judging by the positioning of the blows the attacker continued to beat the victim when he was prone on the ground. This was drawn-out and violent assault. Severe fractures bilaterally to the femurs, tibia and fibula were post-mortem, the knees were also dislocated. His left shoulder also suffered a traumatic dislocation.” Hyungwon rattled off. 

“That was probably done to get the body to fit in the trunk...” If this was something like a robbery gone wrong they’d have taken he car and left he body behind. A crime of passion, perhaps? Whatever it was, he poor guy had his back turned when some scumbag bashed his head in. “Was there anything else?”

“All other pertinent details are in the report. Still waiting on toxicology and analysis of the particulates, I sent them to mass spec. I’ve provided samples for DNA as well as castings and x-rays for dental record checks. This wasn’t a very mentally stimulating case, honestly.”

“Thought the decomposition would have made it harder for you to decipher cause of death.”

“Maybe if it was a stabbing with only soft tissue damage. Though, the level of decomposition does have the benefit of keeping everyone else out of my workspace. I for one don’t mind the smell of death and decay. It feels homely.”

“Riiiiight. Nothing says homely like the smell of rotting flesh. That doesn’t sound concerning at all.” Hyunwoo laughed lightly. He remembered his first interaction with Hyungwon being rather jarring but he was used to the young man’s eccentricity by now. 

“Ah I said something weird again didn’t I?” The pathologist bit into his lower lip, something he did when he was uncomfortable. 

“Yes but it’s fine.” Hyunwoo reassured him. 

“You need to tell me so I’m able to moderate my behaviour. To clarify, my parents ran a mortuary business. We lived above the business and I used to sneak out of bed at night down to where the clients were kept so I could stay up late reading. My parents would see my bedroom light was on and tell me to go to sleep otherwise.”

“That explains a lot. Weren’t you scared to go down there?”

Hyungwon looked at Hyunwoo like he was absolutely insane to ask such a question. “Why would I be scared? The dead can’t hurt you.” He thought for a moment. “Unless they pass on some kind of pathogen.”

“I think people just have a natural aversion to dead bodies. It’s a reminder of mortality.” Hyunwoo mused.

“But that’s stupid. Everyone will die. Why fear death?” Again, he looked at Hyunwoo like he was a raving madman. 

“I guess... people just don’t like thinking that one day they’ll no longer be here.”

“And people say I’m the weird one. That’s such a strange thing to worry about.” He paused for a few beats. “Did I give you my report before Kihyun?”

“Yes.” In Kihyun’s defence, DNA could take up to 72 hours and the forensic team were probably still combing over the car.

“Excellent.” The pathologist looked satisfied with that. 

“Have you not submitted your report to him? He’ll need it.”

“I was hoping you’d give him a copy because I don’t give electronic submissions and I don’t wish to speak to him.”

“You’re professionals. You have to get over it, Hyungwon.” But it would be a great excuse to see Kihyun. “But this time I’ll do it. Just this time.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it.” Hyungwon briskly took his leave, scurrying back to the basement. 

......

Some might argue that a lead investigator’s time was probably not well spent by scanning and making photocopies of a messily written pathologist’s report and taking it over to the forensics department. It was probably a valid observation it Hyunwoo would count it as his lunch break. 

He found Kihyun eyeing up some sort of graph on a screen. Hyunwoo frankly couldn’t even begin to guess what it all meant. 

“Uh hey, Dr. Yoo?”

“Hmm?” Kihyun stood straight and turned around. “Oh hey. Kihyun is fine, by the way. Unless you’d prefer to keep it formal.”

“No, no. I just thought you preferred it. That’s all.” He held up the photocopied report. “I come bearing gifts.”

“Next time bring coffee.” He joked and took the papers. “Let me guess, it’s Dr. Frankenstein’s report? I just got the results through from the mass spec he ordered.”

“Oh, is that what that graph is?” Hyunwoo motioned to the screen.

“Looks like standard paint used on walls, honestly. Nothing definitive, sorry.” He sat on the metal desk and leafed through Hyungwon’s report. “Why is he allowed to submit handwritten reports? His writing is awful, I can barely read it. It looks like a spider fell in a pot of ink and walked over the page.”

“Sorry, not my call.” Hyunwoo shrugged apologetically. 

“I was about to take my lunch if you wanna join me. Maybe we could catch up?” Kihyun offered hopefully.

“Oh sure, there’s actually a cafe down the street that’s pretty good. Maybe I can get you that coffee after all?” Hyunwoo was actually proud of himself for not coming out with something that sounded too weird. 

“Deal. The canteen food in this place tastes like prison food.” The redhead pulled a disgusted face and shrugged off his white lab coat, draping it over his chair. “Let’s go, lead the way”

.....

The cafe was small but it had a nice atmosphere. Hyunwoo liked it for it’s peacefulness. It was a nice escape sometimes. It also helped that the coffee was amazing. He bought Kihyun a cappuccino but he redhead insisted on buying his own lunch. 

“I forgot you weren’t a man to be argued with.” Hyunwoo laughed as Kihyun flatly refused his attempts to pay for his panini. 

“Damn right. Old age has only made me more stubborn.” Kihyun glared but there was a playful twinkle in his eyes. 

“Old age? Hardly. Besides, I’m older than you. We aren’t even thirty yet.”

“Pretty sure my job has accelerated my ageing process.”

“I know that feeling.” Hyunwoo admitted gravely. 

“How are you finding it? Calling the shots and all that.” Kihyun asked as they took a seat at a table in the back corner of the place. 

“It’s a lot of extra pressure but it’s ok so far.” He looked down into his coffee cup. “I just need to get things right.”

After a few moments of silence, Kihyun reached over and placed his hand on top of Hyunwoo’s. “Just remember it doesn’t come down on just you. We’re all here to solve this.”

When Hyunwoo looked up he saw Kihyun’s usually knife edge sharp features had softened. Something fluttered in his chest but it was a feeling he chose to ignore. He didn’t have the time or resources for the feeling of butterflies. It wasn’t a luxury he could afford. “Thank you, Kihyun...”

“Hey,” Kihyun sat back, removing his hand from Hyunwoo’s. “Remember when I was doing my lab internship here and convinced you to take me out in the squad car?”

“Oh god, my mentor was so mad at me for that.” Hyunwoo buried his face in his hands. It was such a stupid thing to do to try and impress Kihyun. He could have lost his badge. 

“But it was amazing. Only thing that would have made it better was if we were in a car chase. Or if you’d have let me drive.” They’d turned on the siren and sped down the highway, though. Hyunwoo wouldn’t normally break the rules like that but he considered the the look of pure excited glee on Kihyun’s face to be worth it. Consequences be damned. 

“Well, I don’t drive a marked vehicle anymore, sorry.” Hyunwoo shrugged with a coy smile. 

“Shame because I’d love to do that again. I’ll just have to charm Hoseok this time. He’s looking awfully hench these days. So are you, actually.”

“I’m not usually so easily charmed.” Hyunwoo was blushing. 

“So you’re just charmed by me, then? I’m honoured.” He sipped his coffee. The hot steam fogged up his glasses and when it cleared he must have caught Hyunwoo looking at him strangely. “What? Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have cappuccino foam on my face? Are we about to have a cheesy drama moment?” Still a flirt...

“No. Sorry, I just... I was just thinking about what it was like to have time for stuff like that.”

“You're right, guess we don’t have time to do stupid shit anymore. We’re fully fledged responsible adults now and all that.” Kihyun admitted simply. 

“Maybe we could make time?”

“Oh so now you’re the one being the charmer?” The little smirk which spread across Kihyun’s face made the butterflies come alive in Hyunwoo’s chest again. 

“Time to hang out, that is. Not be stupid. Or at least not too stupid.”

“Aaaaaaand you ruined it.” Kihyun outright laughed this time. 

Hyunwoo waited for the musical laughter to subside before speaking again. “How was Busan? Better scenery I suppose. What brought you back here?”

“Hmm he scenery was definitely better. I like the ocean. But Seoul has more opportunities in my field, the unit is far bigger. And...” He seemed to carefully consider his next point. “I broke up with my boyfriend and needed a change of scenery.”

Boyfriend? So Kihyun really was into guys? “Oh, I’m very sorry to hear that.” No, he wasn't. That thought made Hyunwoo feel incredibly selfish and guilty because it had obviously been a painful breakup if he felt he need to move to the other side of the county. 

“No you're not.” Kihyun said airily, expression blank as anything. 

He panicked. Was he that obvious? “W-What? I—”

“Don’t panic, Hyunwoo. I’m kidding. Jeez.” He chuckled. “Still as awkward as ever, I see.”

_______________  
_______________

**Friday. 27th July. 2018.**

Kihyun could easily email his reports over to Hyunwoo because they were all typed, unlike Hyungwon and his insistence on submitting handwritten reports. God, that guy grated on him. But anyway, he thought it would be good to hand deliver them to give a verbal summary. Yes, that sounded like a totally legit and professional excuse, other than just enjoying Hyunwoo’s company. 

All that aside, he’d stayed up until 4am putting the last of his report together. He was exhausted but he was someone who tended to function reasonably well on barely any sleep. Up to a point, that is. He knew he was in the danger zone when he started to get cranky with people he cared about. That meant he was close to completely burning himself out. 

He knocked on the office door and waited for a call to enter. 

“Come in!” Came Hyunwoo’s voice from inside. 

“Good morning.” He greeted as he entered. Hopefully he didn’t looked too haggard from his sleepless night. So far it was nothing a touch of concealer under his eyes couldn’t handle.

“Ah Kihyun, good morning.” Hyunwoo smiled, face lighting up. 

“I have my report for you. I also emailed it but I thought it would be easier on your eyes to read the printed copy. Looking at screens ruined my eyes.” He tapped the frame of his glasses to demonstrate his point. “Anyways, we have a whole load of fingerprints and DNA. This scene was a mess. So, I’ll start with the prints. We took prints and DNA from the owner of the car and their family to sift those out. Long story short there are probably prints from two people of significance around the inside and outside of the vehicle. That’s the good news.”

“I’m guessing the bad news is that we don’t have any matches for those prints on the database?” Hyunwoo took a long gulp from his coffee mug. 

“Correct.”

“Damn...”

“But here comes more good news, we had some interesting results when we ran DNA. We found two lots of male DNA on the back seat. Semen, to be exact. Not that old. One set we didn’t have a match for but the other is from a guy called Lee Jooheon. He was reported missing by his parents five years ago. He’d be 22 now. On top that, we found Jooheon’s blood both inside and outside the vehicle on the passenger side and some on the back seat. The rest of the blood outside belongs to the victim.”

“Oh my god. Ok, I’ll have Hoseok pull the files on that investigation. How much blood loss are we talking from Jooheon?”

“Hard to tell, not fatal exsanguination but enough to require medical assistance, in my opinion. Still waiting for the blood spatter specialist to come back with her report but between you and me, it looks like an arterial bleed.”

“Could the other lot of semen from the back seat be the victim’s?”

“No, it’s a separate DNA profile which doesn't match the victim.”

That was all certainly something to go on. “This is good, though. We actually have something to go on now!” He jumped out of his seat, taking a wide eyed Kihyun by the shoulders. “Thank you!” 

“Uh it’s not like I did it all single handedly.” Kihyun blinked, a little surprised by the excitable outburst. 

Hyunwoo grabbed his phone and dialled Hoseok, waiting impatiently for him to pick up the phone. 

“Hello?”

“Hoseok, I need you to dust off a missing persons file for me.”

“Hello to you, too. Who am I looking for?” The voice on the other end asked. 

“Lee Jooheon. We have his DNA at the scene. He’s been a missing person for a few years. He was also at least injured so have them check hospital records over the last few days.”

“Lee Jooheon. Got it. Anything else?”

“Only that he was in there with another male and they probably had sex. We don’t have any matches on the other male. Jooheon is the only name we have. He could be the key.”

“I’m on it. I’ll head down to the archives now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm so we have an unknown dead man, a missing person who is at least injured and a mystery man.
> 
> What do you think?
> 
> ____
> 
> **Next time:** Hoseok finds Jooheon’s missing person file and Hyunwoo has to look to a source of information that’s not exactly by-the-book when he has nowhere else to turn.
> 
> Oh and come say hi on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/TheClamp2) ! :D If anyone chooses to follow me I’ll of course follow back. I post updates and also some extra visual content for fics (and sometimes photos of my cat…).


	3. Whore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter: Lee Minhyuk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter paints a kinda bleak picture. We’re getting into the darkness.oops it’s also over 7500 words. Oops!
> 
> Warnings: this chapter contains allusions to past sexual violence.

**Monday. 30th July. 2018.**

Hyunwoo had been awake since 3am and after an hour of laying in bed, staring at the insides of his eyelids, he’d figured he may as well get up and go into work. So there he was, sat a his desk hunched over his fourth cup of black coffee and feeling like a man twice his age. He really should start going back to the gym. He could practically feel himself atrophying away. 

It wasn’t a very productive few hours. Most of it was spent staring into space and listening to the ticking of the clock on the wall behind him. The monotonous ticking was at some point drowned out by the sounds fo voices outside the door on the investigation floor. That meant it was at least 8am.

He almost jumped out of his own skin when the door burst open, causing him to spill cold coffee all over the desk. 

“Hey, so it took me a while to scrape stuff together on Lee Jooheon.” Hoseok blurted out, not even bothering to knock as he entered Hyunwoo’s small but shiny new office, waving a file around. 

Hyunwoo scrambled to soak up the bitter liquid with a newspaper from the trashcan before it could reach any important documents. “Anything useful?” 

“Well for one thing, he isn’t from Seoul. Hence it took me over the weekend to get this, it hadn’t been uploaded onto the national database yet since it probably isn’t considered a priority. It arrived up from Daegu this morning. He’s from Nam-gu district.”

Hoseok sat on the other side of the desk and opened up the depressingly thin file, ignoring the frantic cleanup operation. “Soooo we got Lee Jooheon. Suspected runaway. Low income family, accusations of domestic violence at home. Father has a criminal record about a mile long. All of it stuff like aggravated assault, theft, public indecency and some minor possession charges.” He pulled a photograph out of the file, a baby-faced teenager with deep dimples. “Jooheon had a history of truancy from school and a police caution for shoplifting a bottle of whisky at fifteen years old. He was reported missing by his mother a full two weeks after he disappeared. He was seventeen at the time which makes him twenty two now.” Hoseok closed the file and slid it across the now dry desk towards his superior. “Pretty classic case of a difficult upbringing in a negative environment, honestly. A kid gone off the rails. It’s sad.”

“Have there been any sightings of him at all?” It definitely sounded like it could have been a classic case of a teenage runaway, especially if he had come to Seoul. He was probably looking to get away from his hometown and have a fresh start and new life. Like so many others, it probably hadn’t worked out for him, considering his blood was all over a murder scene. 

“The investigation dried up before it even got going, really. He just kinda dropped off he face of the planet. In the whole five years there was only ever one suspected sighting, which honestly wasn't really followed up on. A friend of a relative reported seeing him about two years ago, hanging around the area of Itaewon near where the seedier gay bars are. Apparently he was selling his body.”

“Was CCTV checked in the area?” He knew it was a long shot, places around that area usually either didn't have security cameras or were very unwilling to share their tapes with police.

“For a glimpse of a missing tearaway? Of course not, they simply informed local police and asked them to keep an eye out. I could have Missing Persons here try to recover footage but I doubt the tapes are still even available, if they ever existed at all.”

But this was good news, actually. If Jooheon had been around there, especially if he’d been selling himself... “Try anyway but I might have something better than grainy CCTV footage if it doesn’t work out.”

Hoseok blinked at him in confusion for a few moments before realising what it was Hyunwoo meant. “Oh. Of course, him. You shouldn’t be using off-record sources, you know. Not now you’re in a position of greater accountability.”

“He never forgets a face so if he ever ran into Jooheon he’ll remember or he may know someone who is associated with him. He’s helped us before, remember?”

“Just don’t get caught up in some kind of scandal. Doesn’t look good for a senior officer to be wandering around with a known prostitute. There’s been enough police corruption scandals lately.” Hoseok stood from his seat. 

“I know you disapprove of my involvement with him but you should have more compassion.”

“I do have compassion. You know I do. His situation is awful and nobody should have to go through that. I don’t disapprove of your involvement with him, I just disapprove of you using off-record information and I just think you should be careful.”

“He’d never talk to me in an interview and you know it. He doesn’t trust the police.”

“You can cost us a conviction, Hyunwoo. If they pick up on you getting information off-record the whole case could get thrown out and you know this.”

He did know. He knew exactly how things worked. It meant that if his source knew something integral to the case, he’d probably have to arrest him and cut him a deal since there was no way he would be questioned voluntarily. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that, it would cost him what trust he’d built over the las few years. “I’m just looking for a lead to get to the next step. Besides, he might not know anything anyway and then it’s not an issue.”

“Well, I hope you’re careful. That’s all I’m saying...”

Hyunwoo rubbed his temples. “I’m not getting distracted by this Jooheon kid, am I? He’s the only name we’ve got. Or should I be focussing on finding a name for the victim?” Then there was that third person who was still unaccounted for.

“I think your priorities are on-track. Let them finish facial profiling and checking though dental records for now. Then worry about it.” Hoseok placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“With every passing moment after a murder it becomes less likely the killer will be found.” Hyunwoo recited off the words like a mantra. Failure just wasn't an option. 

“Hyunwoo, as your friend I’m telling you that you need to stop doubting yourself. Ok? You got yourself this office because you deserve it. I’ve always looked up to you, we may have come out of the academy at the same time but I’ve always aspired to be like you.”

“Thank you, Hoseok...”

“Well, I’m off to pay a visit to Missing Persons.”

________________

Hyunwoo knew all the familiar haunts of his potential informant. He’d either be hanging out around the area of Itaewon known aptly as Hooker Hill, which was where Jooheon had been spotted, or the Mia-ri red light district across the city. He drove around the area in Itaewon for a while, about to reluctantly pick up his search on foot. It was almost midnight and he was tired. Not only tired from his early morning, just tired in general. A kind of all-consuming tiredness which settled itself in his bones at a point in time he couldn’t specify. 

But then he saw him. A young man in a red dress and fishnets on his long legs which looked even more endless with the pair of red high heels he wore. His lipstick was a little smudged for reasons Hyunwoo didn’t want to think about, but his makeup was otherwise perfect. 

He rolled down the window as he pulled over, causing the pretty young man to wander over, expecting a customer. Somehow he walked so elegantly in those cumbersome looking heels. He wore a fake smile which looked almost painful as it failed to reach his emotionless eyes, but the falseness disappeared when he recognised Hyunwoo.

“Oh hey there Officer Son.” He chirped as he leaned against the car. “Long time no see. I’m just out here enjoying the night air. Certainly not looking to spend some time with gentlemen for money. No sir. That ain’t me. I’d never do such a thing. No reason at all for you to arrest me... again.” The young man teased. 

“You know I’m not going to arrest you, Minhyuk. Get in the car, I need to talk to you about something.” It had been a while since he’d seen Minhyuk in his working clothes. Well, it had been a while since he’d seen him in general. Over a month, actually.

Minhyuk bit his lower lip nervously for a moment. “Is it gonna take long? Time is money, baby. Not that I don’t like seeing you, just times are kinda hard and one of my regulars usually comes around at this time.” 

“The longer you stand there the longer it’ll take.” He looked away from him because every time he saw the younger man he seemed to have lost more weight or would have new scrapes or bruises. It hurt to look at because every time he offered to help him, Minhyuk would refuse. He wasn't sure what exactly he could do, anyway. 

“Fiiiine.” Minhyuk huffed and got into the passenger side of the car. As he did, his dress slipped dangerously high and the fishnets did nothing to hide some nasty looking bruises on his pale, sun-starved thighs. It made Hyunwoo’s stomach turn at the thought of whatever someone had done to his thighs had been rough enough to leave such dark, painful bruises. They looked disturbingly like the marks he’d seen on the bodies of rape victims who had tried to resist their assailant. 

“Are you... eating well? You look like you aren’t.” Hyunwoo fixed his eyes onto the steering wheel in front of him. 

“Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?” He pulled down the hem of his dress to cover the tops of his thighs. 

Hyunwoo fought the urge to argue with him, instead he reached behind to take the missing person file from the back seat. “Do you know anything about this kid?” He pulled out the photograph of Jooheon and held it up. 

A look of surprise flashed over Minhyuk’s face before falling into guarded neutrality. “Like what?”

“Anything. He was possibly hanging out around here a couple of years ago, his name is Lee Jooheon. I know it’s a long shot but apparently it looked like he was trying to sell himself.” He knew Minhyuk must have recognised him, judging by the expression he’d had on his face. But he also knew Minhyuk didn’t fully trust anybody, not even him. Why would he? Hyunwoo had arrested him on their first meeting since Hyunwoo finished high school. Not only arrested him but allowed a man who tried to assault him walk free. 

“Hmmm what’s in it for me? If I don’t tell you are ya gonna put me in cuffs and spank me for being a bad boy? Ohh I’d love that. Let’s do that!” He clapped in fake excitement, speaking in the falsely effeminate voice he put on for his customers. 

“Please he serious for a moment.” Hyunwoo frowned. “He’s just a kid, Min. Please.”

Minhyuk dropped the act and slowly took the photograph, looking hard at it as he bit his lip again. “Is he in trouble?”

“He’s a missing person, he could be in danger.”

“Fine... god, he’s just as cute now as in this picture.” He handed the photograph back. “I’ve seen him around intermittently for like three or four years, actually. Nice kid. Did something happen to him? You investigate murders so I doubt you’d be working on a simple missing person case.” Minhyuk looked worried, betraying his caring nature. 

“I don’t know but I’m concerned about his safety. I can’t disclose more details but he’s injured at the very least.”

“He has a pimp that sets him up with clients. Jooheon picks up his own business round here sometimes, though. Pimps don’t tend to take kindly to that sort of thing because they don’t get a cut of the money. Especially since I think he keeps Jooheon as an expensive boy. More like a male escort for rich lonely housewives who want a nice young man or for closeted business men to fuck than just a common hooker like myself.” He pulled off his long brunette wig, running his hand through his own black hair, damp with sweat from he hot and humid night. “I hope he’s ok.”

“When did you last see him?”

“Couple of weeks ago, I guess, which isn’t unusual. You can go months without seeing people around here.”

“Do you know if he was involved with drugs or anything like that?”

“No more than mot people in his situation. He smoked some funky stuff every now and again, I guess. I don’t blame people who end up taking drugs doing this. Probably takes the edge off having some disgusting pig sweating and grunting over you while they fuck you through your pain and nausea.” He’d put on that effeminate voice again towards the end, tinged with a mocking nature and a deep bitterness. 

Sad stories everywhere. The world was a dark place for so many people. Maybe this was why Hyunwoo felt so exhausted. No matter what he did, no matter how many bad people he put behind bars, it never put a dent in the misery people suffered. The once prolific class clown with a perpetual smile he’d gone to school with, Lee Minhyuk, worn down to a husk. “Do you know anyone who may have contact with him?”

“Sorry, I don’t but I can tell you who Jooheon’s pimp is.”

“Who?”

“It’s Mr Kim, the greasy fucker who owns the strip club just down the way. The Emporium.” He motioned down the street. 

“I take it you don’t know his first name.”

“No, but I’d know him anywhere. He’s a nasty fucking piece of trash.”

“Why?” 

“Brutal with the girls in the strip club. Pays them shit wages and they’re all his whores. I hear he’s got some involvement with human trafficking but I’m not sure how reliable that info is. Wouldn’t surprise me, the guy has a cruel streak. He tried to get me to work for him a couple of times and he threatened and beat me me when I declined. He’s the one who broke my hand last year.”

He remembered that well, Minhyuk had refused to tell him what had happened at the time. “You know if someone gives you trouble you can come to me, right?”

“I can handle myself, but you’re sweet.”

Hyunwoo stopped himself as he was about to mention the bruises on his thighs.

Minhyuk must have been tracking his gaze because he practically read his mind. “Don’t worry about those bruises.” He looked out of the window. “Shoulda seen the other guy.” And really, Hyunwoo actually believed it. He believed it because a few months ago Minhyuk was almost convicted of assault for stabbing a man in the eye. It was overturned as self defence thanks to the lawyer Hyunwoo had paid for. 

Hyunwoo sighed. “I wish you’d let me help you...”

“And what would you do? I flunked out of high school and I’ve never had a real job. I don’t exactly have options. We’ve been though this. I don’t want to have this conversation again.” Minhyuk frowned, folding his arms across his chest. “Sorry... you’ve caught me in a bad mood. I’ve had a rough few weeks, I shouldn’t take it out on you.” It was quite the understatement.

Hyunwoo closed his eyes for a moment before he pulled some cash out of his wallet. It was enough to feed Minhyuk and his sister for at least a week. “Here. For your time, at least.” 

Minhyuk stared at him, gaze softening as he took he money. “You know what? You care too much. That’s your problem. I don’t know if that makes you a good cop or a bad one.” He waved the wedge of bills around before stuffing them into his bra. “You overpay, by the way.”

“How can caring make me a bad cop?”

“Because caring too much takes it’s toll. It’s only a matter of time before the world breaks people like you. You look tired, Hyunwoo.”

“I just... want to make a difference.”

“Be careful, hm? Look after yourself, you can’t help people if you have a heart attack before you turn thirty.”

Ignoring the statement, he switched on the engine. “Can I give you a ride home?”

Minhyuk settled back in the seat. “Sure. Because I’ll take advantage of your kindness, just like most people would.”

“I don’t consider you to be taking advantage.”

“Do you pity me, Hyunwoo?” Minhyuk asked suddenly. 

He thought about it carefully. “Yes.” He answered honestly. 

“I hate that. But that doesn’t mean I’m not taking your money or your ride home. I’m not sure I can pick and choose when I can have pride.”

“I do this because I care.”

“You should stop caring.” The younger warned. 

“I can’t... because I’m afraid that if I do, one day I’ll see you in a body bag.” 

“If that ever happens I trust you to find the fucker who killed me and give him a bit of the ol’ police brutality treatment.” Minhyuk let out a half bitter, half jovial laugh and turned the radio up.

___________________  
___________________

**Tuesday. 31st July. 2018.**

Hyunwoo spotted Kihyun sitting alone in the cafeteria and eating something which looked far more appetising than his own boring sandwich. Instinctively, he approached. Automatically drawn to the redhead. 

“Can I join you?” As the words left his mouth he noticed Kihyun was wearing AirPods. Shit. Now he felt like an idiot. Kihyun probably didn’t hear him. 

Kihyun seemingly noticed his presence and looked up at him, pulling the buds out of his ears. “Oh sorry, what did you say?”

“Was just asking if I could join you.”

“Oh, of course. I feel like the unpopular kid sitting here alone.” He smiled widely and shifted his lunch bag over. 

Hyunwoo took the seat next to him. “What were you listening to?”

“Seo Taiji, Classroom Idea. Helps keep me awake.” He yawned into his hand. 

“Good choice.” Hyunwoo used to like music, too. Back when he still had a life beyond his job. 

“That is possibly the saddest lunch I think I’ve ever seen.” Kihyun pointed an accusatory finger at the older’s sandwich. 

“I’m not a good cook so honestly this is me making an actual effort. Most days I eat the terrible canteen food.” He took a bite out of he sandwich containing one single solitary slice of ham. 

“I usually cook in batches so I can bring you in something a little more interesting if you like. Honestly, that sandwich looks pretty insipid. Like middle-aged office worker depression in sandwich form.”

“Ouch. Ok, I get it, my lunch sucks.” He felt a smile tugging at the corner of his lip. “You don’t need to feed me, though. It’ll be my own fault wen I die of scurvy.” He shrugged. He probably should have gone for something with greater nutritional value. 

“I don’t know how you maintain that body of yours. Do you and Hoseok still argue over who has the best abs?”

Hyunwoo snorted. “Nah because he’s the clear winner these days. I admitted defeat.”

“Well if it helps, I used to like your body the best. That’s the only reason I came to the gym with you guys that one time.” Kihyun laughed at himself. “Ok actually forget I said that. It makes me sound so creepy.”

“Not at all. I’ll take the compliment where I can get it.”

“So, any leads in the investigation?”

“Yeah. It seems Jooheon was operating under a pimp known as Mr Kim. I’m starting to form a theory that the victim was a client of Jooheon’s and got rough and hurt the kid. Or maybe the victim was an enemy of Mr Kim and he used Jooheon to lure him in. I hear Mr Kim had a very violent nature. He might be laying low for a while.”

“This pimp might account for that third set of DNA, then.”

“Exactly.”

“Hey guys, sorry for the interruption. Can we sit with you guys?” Hoseok smiled, he had an awkward looking Hyungwon in tow behind him. 

“Pull up a chair. Nice to see you in the cafeteria, Hyungwon.” Hyunwoo smiled. 

“I usually eat downstairs but Hoseok says I need socialising.” Hyungwon said as he sat down and got out his lunch. A large box of rice and sashimi.

“Fancy.” Hyunwoo commented. 

“The storage fridges keep sashimi at the perfect temperature to remain fresh.” The pathologist statices, taking a set of chopsticks from his bag. 

Hyunwoo almost choked on his food at the admission. 

“The storage fridges!? You keep your food where you keep your corpses?” Kihyun looked mortified by the concept.

“It’s in a sealed container and I keep it in an empty one without any clients in. It’s perfectly hygienic.” He explained and scooped up a large mouthful of rice. 

“That’s a lot of carbs. How are you so thin?” Kihyun blinked at the amount of rice. “Like, where do you even put that much food?” 

“I have a fairly high metabolic rate and I forgot to eat last night and this morning. Actually, I don’t normally eat this much but I had a client from a house fire and the smell tends to make me hungry.”

Hyunwoo dropped his sandwich just as Kihyun’s chopsticks clattered onto the table, while Hoseok seemed completely unbothered by the conversation, happily munching on his food. 

“Aaaand just like that I don’t wanna eat.” Kihyun said, pushing the food away from himself and replacing the lid. 

“People don’t generally say stuff like that, Hyungwon.” Hoseok reminded him gently. 

“But it’s just the smell of cooked meat. People are made of meat.” Hyungwon seemed genuinely confused about what he said wrong. “Sometimes if an accelerant is used it smells bad, though.”

“Can you not bring Dr. Lecter to lunch next time?” Kihyun groaned at Hoseok.

“People taste like pork. Well, more like wild boar actually.” Hyungwon continued. 

“Please don’t tell me you know from experience.” Hyunwoo jested. A least, he hoped it was a jest.

“No but that’s how people who have eaten human flesh describe it. I prefer to eat fish, anyway. Though, I’m also looking at the benefits of an insectivorous diet as it’s a far more sustainable food resource. Insect farming provides extremely efficient input to biomass output ratios. I would probably only eat a person in an extreme survival situation.”

“There’s a new sushi place just opened nearby.” Hoseok said after a moment of semi-awkward silence. 

Kihyun and Hyunwoo stared between the two. Was Hoseok finally asking him out?

“Is there?” Hyungwon asked after swallowing a piece of salmon. 

“Yeah maybe you’d like to try it out?” Hoseok looked so hopeful. It was adorable, really. 

Hyungwon blinked at him a couple of times, as if his brain was struggling to process what he’d said. “Maybe I will. Thank you for the recommendation.”

Kihyun burst out laughing and Hyunwoo did his best to hide his laugh behind his hand. 

“N-No I meant— uh. Never mind. Let me know how it is once you try it.” Hoseok hid his face in his hands. 

“I will. Why are you guys laughing?”

“Because you’re one of a kind, Hyungwon.” Hyunwoo chuckled. 

Wanting to get away from the subject, Hoseok quickly turned his attention to Kihyun. “How are you finding it being back here?” 

“It’s nice, the lab space is much bigger than the Busan branch but I don’t really know my way around Seoul that well. I had to go out and oversee sampling at a suspected suicide and I was driving around for an hour before I realised I was completely in the wrong area.”

“I don’t think Hyunwoo is gonna offer to drive you anywhere after what happened last time.” Hoseok chuckled. 

“What happened?” The pathologist questioned. 

“Hyunwoo almost lost his badge.” 

“Funnily enough, we were talking about that the other day. I said that since he doesn’t drive a marked vehicle anymore it takes the thrill out of it.” Kihyun leaned forward towards Hoseok. “I said I’d have to hit you up for getting my kicks.” He winked. Ever charming and walking a line where it was hard to tell if he was serious or not. Regardless, it made Hyunwoo a little jealous.

As soon as the jealousy bubbled up, he pushed it back down. He had no right to feel any envy, Kihyun was a stupid crush he had years ago. Nothing more. 

“Just kidding. I don’t really want to get fired, either.” Kihyun sat back. “Actually I did have a request for either of you. I asked if I would be able to gain some official fieldwork experience with the narcotics guys. Fresher the better when it comes to forensics and all that. Director Choi said he won’t let me anywhere near a drugs bust unless I can at leat pass the field officer’s firearms assessment. He said he didn't want me being a liability, which is fair enough. I wondered if one of you fine officers could give me some lessons.”

“Hyunwoo was always the best shot in the academy. I’d offer my services, too but I have a fresh recruit about to become my new partner and I’ll kinda have my hands full showing him the ropes.”

“Uh sure, I can give you some lessons.” Hyunwoo couldn't deny the flash of excitement at the prospect of spending time with Kihyun. What was he, thirteen years old? Jeez.

“Great, just let me know when and where.” He passed his phone over. “Put your number in my phone.” 

“I’ve finished eating so I’m leaving now.” Hyungwon suddenly stated, voice a little strained and uncomfortable sounding. 

“Oh, I’ll come with you. If that’s ok. I have some things Hyunwoo wanted me to look over.”

Hyungwon didn’t answer, he only nodded and disappeared, leaving Hoseok to jump up and break into a jog to catch up to him and his long legs. 

......

Hoseok had spent more time with Hyungwon than anybody else at the unit. Despite Hoseok’s generally passive nature it annoyed him that people were very unwilling to get to know Hyungwon. But at the same time he felt honoured that he was the only one the pathologist would allow to hang out in his lab. 

He followed the odd young man down to the lab in silence. He could tell when Hyungwon want in a talkative mood. So he didn’t push him. Instead, he sat at the bench with his laptop as Hyungwon spread out some sheets of paper across an unoccupied dissection table, beginning to write out his reports. 

Every now and again Hoseok would glance up at the pathologist. Each time he did so, the thick lensed glasses would be closer and closer to slipping all the way off Hyungwon’s face as he concentrated on his untidy scrawling. He was so handsome, his soft and delicate features not harshened by the intense white lights. 

After a little over an hour, it was Hyungwon who spoke out into the silence. “Why do you come here?”

Hoseok looked up, surprised by the question. “It gets very busy upstairs.” 

“There are many other less busy places you could go what aren’t cold and don’t smell weird.”

“But I like it here because I like spending time with you.” Was Hyungwon kicking him out? He certainly hoped not. 

“I don’t even speak to you while I’m working. You can’t get any social stimulation from this, surely.” Hyungwon looked down at his papers. 

“I guess I just like your presence. Friends don’t need to be constantly talking to be friends.”

“I’m your friend?” Hyungwon looked up suddenly. 

“Uh yeah?”

Again, Hyungwon looked like he was trying to process what Hoseok had said. “Oh. Thank you.” He pulled a face as though he wasn’t satisfied with his own answer. A long pause passed before he spoke again. “I enjoy your company also. It isn’t stressful, unlike the company of others. I don’t feel as though I have expectations laid on me which I cannot meet.”

“All I expect from you is to be yourself.”

“And you’re the only one I feel this comfortable with... almost as comfortable as I feel with my clients. I’ve always been more comfortable around the dead than the living. But I like your company a lot and I don’t know what I would do without you. You’re very kind to me and you never make fun of the way I am.” He paused and thought again “I’m sorry I left from lunch so abruptly, I felt like some sort of strange alien outsider sat there amongst the conversations you guys were having. I know I was saying a lot of inappropriate things but I can’t help it. I just don’t understand why one cannot talk about things like that. I try not to show it but I get incredibly frustrated with myself and it became too much for me. I had to leave.”

Hoseok opened his mouth to speak again but the door buzzed loudly. 

Hyungwon made a disgruntled noise and made his way to the intercom. “Yes?”

“Sorry, is Hoseok there? Can I come in?” It was Hyunwoo’s voice. 

“I would prefer it if you did not come in, I’m quite stressed at the moment and there is already one person in here besides myself. To clarify, that person is Hoseok. Should I send him out to you?”

“Can he hear me?” Hyunwoo asked. 

“Yes!” Hoseok called from the bench. 

“Hoseok, I need you to come with me tonight to ask some questions about Lee Jooheon at a strip club called The Emporium. The owner is a man known as Mr Kim and he’s a known pimp. I spoke to Minhyuk’s and he said Jooheon has been working for him for a few years. You ran off before I got the chance to mention it.”

“No problem! It’ll be like old times!” Because Hyunwoo’s career was moving on and Hoseok’s wasn’t, really. Not that he felt any jealousy about it, because he simply didn’t feel ready for it to move on. Hyunwoo was just better than him and that was ok. Hyunwoo was the most deserving person in the world of his promotion. But he was a little bit sad to lose him as a partner, though. In the following week he’d be meeting his new partner, fresh from the academy. He couldn’t really see himself as a mentor. 

“Tomorrow night at 11pm? They’re closed today.”

“It’s a date!” Hoseok laughed. 

“Goodbye, Officer Son. I’m expecting a client to arrive soon.” Hyungwon cut off the intercom and returned to writing his reports, not picking up the conversation between himself and Hoseok again. 

_____________________

Kihyun’s head was starting to hurt, watching numbers trail up his screen. Pulling his glasses off, he rubbed his tired eyes and sat back in his chair, spinning around a few times and staring into nothing. He was tired but full of a kind of restless energy that sometimes settled itself under his skin. His body would get tired but his mind never did. 

He picked up his phone from the desk and looked at the time. 7pm. Not that late but late enough that he was the only one left in the lab. His attention span had long ran out, so curiously won out as he he tapped a message out to Hyunwoo, making use of his newly acquired phone number. 

**Unknown Number 7:04pm  
_“Hey. It’s Kihyun. You still in the building?”_**

**Hyunwoo 7:05pm  
_“Hey. Yeah.”_**

**Kihyun 7:05pm  
_“Busy? Up for some shooting practice?”_**

He waited. Maybe he was being a little pushy. Hyunwoo had looked tired and he was probably too busy. 

**Hyunwoo 7:08pm  
_”Do you know where the shooting gallery is? I can see you down there in a few mins.”_**

**Kihyun 7:08pm  
_”Yup! I’ll see you down there.”_**

Kihyun jumped up and threw off his lab coat, grabbing his bag and switching off his computer. Heading across the building, and down to the basement levels, trying to stop himself from breaking into a run. He felt like a giddy schoolgirl. For one thing, this was another step towards his goal of being able to be more active in fieldwork and also an opportunity to spend time with Hyunwoo. 

He reached the door of the shooting gallery and could already hear shots begin fired off within. He pushed the door open, passing through. Inside, he saw Hyunwoo already there. Sleeves rolled up past his elbows and firing shots into the middle of a target. 

He stared for a while. Hyunwoo was just as attractive as ever, maybe more so. His shirt sleeves tight around his biceps. A firm and broad body and a look of intense focus on his face. 

“Oh hey.” Hyunwoo smiled awkwardly and pulled the ear defenders off. “Sorry. I was just making sure I could still hit a target myself before trying to teach you.” He removed the magazine and set the weapon down safely. 

“Looks like you sure can. I’m impressed.” He set down his messenger bag near the door. 

“So uh, what experience do you have with firearms?”

“Mechanically I know how they work. I’m not a ballistics expert but I know my way around the ins and outs of them. I’ve never fired one, though.” He admitted. 

“Ok, so let’s start from basics.” Hyunwoo picked the weapon back up. “This isn’t an especially powerful gun so the kick isn’t too bad.” He took another magazine from the side. “The number one rule when handling a weapon is to always treat it as being loaded and live.”

“Right.” Kihyun nodded. He wasn’t an idiot, he’d seen exactly the kind of tragedies these things could cause. 

“I know you said you’re aware of how a gun works but I’ll go over it anyway. The magazine is loaded like this. The slide at the top here will advance the first shell into the chamber.” He demonstrated the action. “It can be locked into position with this pin on the side.”

Kihyun paid careful attention to Hyunwoo’s demonstration as he loaded and unloaded the weapon. 

“Now you do it. Put on some ear defenders and pair of protective goggles first. Glasses don’t count as she production.”

Kihyun obeyed, donning the ear defenders and fitting the goggles carefully over his glasses. He loaded the weapon, being careful to keep it pointed down-range. “How’s this?”

“Good.” Hyunwoo pulled on his own ear defenders. 

“Do I get to fire it now?”

“Unload and reload it again first.”

“Spoil sport.” Kihyun cracked a smile but did as he was told. 

“Now, carefully raise it and keep your fingers on the outside of the trigger guard. Use both hands.”

Kihyun did as he was told. Hands shaking a little as be held the weapon. 

“You’re gripping a little too hard.”

“Sorry. I’ve been told I have a strong grip.” He couldn’t help but tease a little, especially upon feeling the other man’s presence behind him. He let up a little on his grip and the shaking stopped. 

“Bring your non-dominant hand underneath to support the weight of the weapon.”

Kihyun could almost feel his body heat. Shit, was he blushing? His face felt hot. Kihyun wasn’t usually the type to get all hot and bothered. 

“Feet shoulder width apart. Bring your left foot back a little.” 

Kihyun corrected his stance. 

“Align the front and rear sight. Aim. Now take a deep breath and carefully and slowly squeeze the trigger. Don’t be shocked by the recoil.”

Kihyun took a long slow breath and squeezed the trigger. It was almost a surprise when the weapon fired. He flinched and stepped backwards straight into the solid wall that was Hyunwoo’s body. Heart pounding in his chest. He felt Hyunwoo carefully remove the weapon from his still outstretched hands and disarm it. 

“You ok?” He heard Hyunwoo ask, why was he so disorientated? Was this normal?

Kihyun let him self lean back against the taller man for a moment. “Yeah. Sorry. I think it’s the adrenaline.” He was still trembling and felt a little stunned. 

“Happens to a lot of people.”

“How was my shot?” Kihyun closed his eyes and let out a breathy laugh, he doubted he had hit anywhere near the target. 

“Uh well that depends if you were aiming for the wall behind the target.” 

Kihyun could feel the chuckle reverberate though Hyunwoo’s chest against his back. He felt an urge to act shamelessly. But no, he couldn’t do that this time. He would probably scare the other man off. “Guess I’ll need some more practice, then.”

“Let’s wait for you to stop shaking first, hmm?” He sounded amused. 

“Show me how it’s done.” Kihyun stumbled away and leaned himself against the wall. 

“Alrighty then.” Hyunwoo actually looked confident. A confidence Kihyun had been waiting to see again. He watched as the officer reloaded the weapon and approached the range window. “Are you watching?”

“Watching and learning. Great view from here.” Kihyun smirked to himself, watching as Hyunwoo emptied the magazine into the centre of the target. 

They spent another hour with Kihyun actually managing to hit the edge of the target. It probably didn’t help that he was a little distracted by some pretty impure thoughts. He should probably calm the fuck down. Hyunwoo just had this way of driving him crazy. That hadn’t changed in their years apart. But Kihyun had a rule never to act on anything with a guy who he didn’t explicitly know the sexuality of. 

“Let’s call it a day.” Kihyun finally admitted defeat. “Maybe we can do this another evening this week?”

“Yeah. You’ll end up straining your wrists if we keep going.”

“It’s ok, my wrists get regular workouts.” He winked. Pride swelled in Kihyun’s chest when that comment earned a blush from Hyunwoo. Cute. 

______________________  
______________________

**Wednesday. 1st August. 2018.**

The club practically vibrated with the steady thump of the bass. Neon pink and red lights where everywhere and scantily clad waitresses carried trays of drinks around to patrons. The floor was sticky and the smell of stale alcohol, sweat, weed and cigarettes was thick in the air. It was enough to catch in Hyunwoo’s throat and make him cough when they first entered. 

“Who do we talk to?” Hoseok looked around. 

“We’ll start with the bar girl.” Hyunwoo moved over to the bar where a young woman stood behind it wearing only a leather mini skirt and a pair of black, heart shape nipple covers. Even if he was interested in girls, he wasn’t sure he’d understand what people saw in places like this. 

“What can I get you fellas?” 

“A conversation with Mr Kim.” Hyunwoo said as surreptitiously as possible. 

She looked at them, puzzled for a second. “Excuse me?”

“The owner of this place.” He clarified. 

“Why?” She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. 

“We’re with the KNPA.” Hyunwoo flashed his badge discreetly. 

“Fine. But if you wanna talk to Mr Kim you’ll be waiting a while. Nobody’s seen hide nor hair of him lately. He just didn’t show up one night.” She shrugged. “Otherwise, if you ain’t buying a drink you can fuck off. I have paying customers who like filling up my tip jar.” She smiled sweetly. 

“Who’s running the place in his absence?”

“His business partner. He’s out back.”

“Would he be available to speak with us?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ll ask him but don’t hold your breath. You got a warrant? He’ll wanna know.”

“No, we’re just looking for information about a missing person. Though seemingly two missing people since Mr Kim apparently disappeared.”

“If you gentlemen wanna wait here, I’ll be right back.” She spared them another glance before disappearing out back. 

Hoseok looked around them. “You think he’ll talk?”

“I don’t know. Maybe, since probably won’t want us to conduct a formal search of the place.”

“Yeah, at the very least there’s probably a lot of money laundered through here. Prostitution aside.”

“You’re attracted to women, right? Do you find a place like this attractive?”

“It makes me uncomfortable. I like women as much as I like men but I’m not attracted to people who look like they don’t want to be here.”

“You only have eyes for Hyungwon, anyway.” Hyunwoo joked. 

“Hmm... maybe.” Hoseok paused for a moment. “You should ask Kihyun out.”

“I don’t think you’re in any position to be giving out love life advice.”

“You heard me try to ask him out with your own ears yesterday.”

Hyunwoo huffed out a laugh. “I think you need to be very explicit with Hyungwon.”

“So I’ll explicitly ask Hyungwon out and you have to ask Kihyun.”

“I can’t ask him out. I can’t remember how to date.” He was steadily giving Hyungwon a run for his money with social awkwardness. 

“When was the last time you got off with someone?”

“Um... like...” He hadn’t really thought about it. “Two years? Maybe more?” Definitely more. Oh dear god. What a terrifying thought. 

“Seriously? Whoa.” Hoseok’s eyes were wide in disbelief. 

“I know. I know.”

The woman reappeared, behind them this time. “Follow me, gentlemen.”

The pair followed her through the club and out behind the stage where women were getting ready to go out on stage. Hyunwoo kept his eyes fixed forward, unfortunately in front of him was the waitress’s naked back and her pert buttcheeks poking out from under the tiny miniskirt. Hyunwoo owned belts that covered more flesh than that thing. 

She turned around abruptly, causing him to almost walk right into her. “Sorry.” He averted his eyes to the ceiling, trying to be respectful. Hoseok was doing the same, except with the addition of a healthy blush across his cheeks. 

“Aw look at you two. Come see me after if you wanna see a little more of me.”

“No thank you ma’am.” Hyunwoo declined. 

“What are you, gay?” She laughed and knocked the large red door. 

“Yep.” Hyunwoo didn’t know why he felt the need to declare it. Not that he’d have taken her up on the offer regardless. 

“Shame.” She eyed Hoseok, assessing the blush and his widened eyes. “He’s not, though.” She winked and walked away as the voice from the other side of the door yelled for them to enter. 

Gathering together his confidence, Hyunwoo entered first. Inside the room was a large desk and a man sat reclined in a chair behind it. Hair slicked back and wearing a sharp pinstripe suit, cigarette in hand and adding to the hazy layer of cloud in the room. 

“Hello boys, what can I do for you?” As he spoke, his single gold tooth caught the light. 

“We’re just looking for information on a missing person. Does the name Lee Jooheon mean anything to you?” Hoseok asked as Hyunwoo held up Jooheon’s photograph. 

“He’s seventeen in this photograph, he’ll be twenty two now.” Hyunwoo added. 

“No, sorry.”

“Another question, then. When did you last see your business partner? Mr Kim, is it? Maybe he will have some information.”

“Hmmmm... about two days ago.” 

“Are you aware your partner is touting prostitutes?” Hyunwoo’s pressed. 

“Whatever he does outside of running this club is his business, not mine. Is this kid one of them?”

“We believe so. Would you be able to come in to provide a statement? We have a couple more questions we’d like to ask.” Hyunwoo hoped to god this guy would cooperate. 

“I don’t think so. I’ve been real nice to you fellas so far. I’ve been more than accommodating. You wanna know about this kid? Find Kim and ask him. What shit he gets into has fuck all to do with me.”

“I think you should reconsider. If you come voluntarily we will have no obligation to look into your personal activities here.” Hyunwoo knew he was pushing his luck here but maybe it would be enough for the man to consider voluntary questioning. 

The man in the suit sighed and tapped something on his phone. “I think you should leave and come back with a warrant. I’m running out of patience.”

He’d pushed the situation far enough. “Very well.” Hyunwoo’s knew when to throw in the towel. 

Two men entered through the door behind them. “My friends will show you out. Thank you for visiting The Emporium. Have a nice night, fellas.”

Great. There was no way he’d get a warrant because the information he had connecting Jooheon to The Emporium wasn’t on record. Officially there had been no connection found. Fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Minhyuk knows Jooheon? Is he telling the full truth or does he know something else? What do you think? 
> 
> ____
> 
> **Next time:** _He tried moving and the first wave of pain hit. It ripped through his entire upper body and along his right arm. A deep, visceral pain which he’d never experienced before in his life. It burned like a small sun was stuck somewhere in his core._


	4. Bang Bang. Cold Ground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hoseok discovered some troubling footage and Kihyun has news Hyunwoo didn’t want to hear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this chapter: There’s attempted sexual assault here and also some violence. Nothing tremendously graphic, though.

**Tuesday. 29th of March 2011. Seven years prior.**

“Her?” Hyunwoo blinked at what appeared to be a pretty young woman making her way up to car windows. She wore a blue dress, short enough to show off her long shapely legs and pale thighs. It was late at night and Hyunwoo was spending his first few months out of the academy with the local police station. He had his eyes on joining homicide, as did his friend Hoseok. But first, they needed to complete their first six months with a senior officer to learn the ropes. It’s not that Hyunwoo thought he was above picking up shoplifters and talking sternly to drunk teenagers, he just couldn’t see himself doing it forever. 

“Her?” The older officer in the driver’s seat barked with laughter. “You need to get your eyes tested, boy. That’s a guy. Lee Minhyuk is his name. We’ve had numerous complaints about him causing a ruckus and harassing men for business around here and he’s well known for being a nuisance. He’s a hooker.”

“Oh...” He watched as a man approached the prostitute and followed him into the dark damp alley. It had been raining all day and had only just stopped. 

“Off you go. Catch the little shit in the act.” His mentor nudged him. 

“What?”

“If the customer objects, remind him that he was also committing a crime by paying for sexual services. Radio me if you can’t handle the situation. Something easy for your first arrest.”

“Right. Ok.” Hyunwoo nodded, gathering himself for a moment before climbing out of the vehicle and leaving his mentor behind. He checked he had his handcuffs attached to his belt. A hooker who wasn’t exactly hurting anybody wasn’t what he’d had in mind for his first arrest but it wasn’t like he had a choice. 

As he quietly walked down the alley, his confidence drained away the closer her got. He could hear the guy obviously receiving a blowjob around the corner. This was so incredibly awkward. What was he supposed to do? Jump in there and yell _”Freeze, step away from the dick”_? Does he wait for the guy to finish or what? 

The sound of gagging and coughing echoed off the walls and Hyunwoo froze in his tracks.

“Hey I said no throat fucking.” A scratchy, airy voice warned. 

“I’m paying your sorry ass so you’ll fucking take what I give you, whore.” The sound of a slap rang out. 

“Ow! Fuck! Just get away from me and keep your money.”

“Cunt, you don’t get to decide.” The sound of movement and a bitten off yelp. “Wouldn’t want you to bite me. Maybe you got another hole I can use. Huh?”

“No! Please don’t—”

That was enough. Hyunwoo rounded the corner. “Hey!” The guy had the young man pressed face-first against the wall with his skirt hiked up at this point, but he sprang away as soon as he saw the police officer. “Both of you, hands above your head and face the wall.” He picked up his radio. 

“Come on man. I got money, we can forget about me being here, right?” The guy said, fumbling to try putting his dick away. 

“I said hands above your head, Sir.” Hyunwoo tapped the taser on his hip. This bastard could stand there with his dick out for the world to see for all he cared. “I also suggest you stop talking before I add bribing a police officer onto your charges.”

“Please.” Minhyuk squeaked out as he trembled, trying to hold back the tears. 

Hyunwoo grabbed his radio. “Sir could you bring another set of cuffs?”

“Why?” The radio crackled back. 

“I’m going to bring this man in, also. He was attempting to sexually assault—”

“Did you see him rape the kid with your own two eyes?” His mentor interrupted. 

“No Sir, but he was already committing a crime by paying for sexual services, right?”

“He won’t get convicted for anything. Just let the guy go and bring in the kid.”

The boy let out a sob. 

“But Sir I—”

“Just do it, it’s late and I wanna get home to my wife. Bring the hooker in and let the punter go. Understand?”

“Yes...” He let his radio fall silent. “It’s your lucky day, Sir. Get outta here.” He knew his mentor was right. The man wore an expensive suit, so he was probably a businessman and probably had money. He was probably someone who was respected. It would be the kid’s word against his and a court probably wasn’t going to rule in favour of a poor kid who dressed up in drag and sold his body. 

The smirk on the man’s face as he fled the scene made Hyunwoo’s blood boil. The fucker probably wouldn't think twice about forcing himself on somebody else vulnerable, only a cop wouldn’t be there to intervene next time. 

“Please. Please don’t arrest me. I’m begging you. I can’t go to jail.” Minhyuk was still facing the wall, fingers clinging to the bricks. 

“Lee Minhyuk?”

The boy nodded.

“You’re breaking the law. I’m sorry.” He tried to sound firm but failed entirely. 

“S-So was he and you let him go!”

He couldn’t argue with that, could he? “I’m going to search you. Do you have anything on you that you wish to inform me of? Drugs or weapons? Anything illegal or dangerous?”

“N-No. Please, I’ll do anything. I have some money in my bra. Take it. It’s not much, just what I earned tonight. I-I can suck your dick o-or you can fuck me i-if you don’t mind fucking a guy, Officer.” He sobbed, face pressing against the wet brick wall.

“Lee Minhyuk I’m placing you under arrest for breaking laws outlined by the 2004 prostitution act. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. If you do not mention when questioned something you’ll later rely on in court it may harm your defence. You have the right to legal advice. If you cannot afford a lawyer, you are entitled to one provided by the government.” He recited off the lines as he patted down the young man’s body, almost afraid of touching him.

“My sister is at home alone. She can’t look after herself. If I’m not there what will happen to her?” He flinched away when Hyunwoo’s hands must have hit a sore spot on his flank. 

“You’ll be able to make a phone call to make arrangements when you’ve been booked in.” He brought Minhyuk’s hands down behind his back and clicked the cuffs closed around his wrists. “Please turn around. I’m afraid I’ll have to confiscate the money you said you had.” God, he felt like the worst person in the world. 

Minhyuk turned around, makeup running down his face from the tears. He grimaced as Hyunwoo hesitantly reached in to his bra and pulled out a few bills, placing the money into an evidence bag. It really wasn’t much money at all

“I have to remove this in case you have anything hidden under it.” Hyunwoo said apologetically as he removed Minhyuk’s wig. 

A sudden look of recognition dawned on Minhyuk’s features as he finally looked Hyunwoo in the eyes. “What is your name?” He asked quietly. 

“Officer Son Hyunwoo.” 

“Oh my god... you haven’t changed a bit. Do you not remember me?” Something tragically akin to hope flashed in the young man’s eyes. 

He was familiar, now that he was looking at his face properly. Hyunwoo thought back until he placed that face which matched with his name. It was the Lee Minhyuk he hadn’t seen for years. A year his junior at school but notorious for being a class clown. Charismatic and a talented performer who took lead in all the school musical productions. Everyone had wanted to be his friend but he was known to skip classes regularly and rumours said he smoked and drank. He lived across the street from Hyunwoo and Hyunwoo himself would witness him having heated arguments in the street with his exasperated parents. He’d also witness him sneaking out at night, cigarette in his mouth. He wasn’t somebody Hyunwoo associated with. Not that Minhyuk was a bad kid, he was just utterly bored with school and had his own ambitions for fun and fame. He also remembered his sister, he’d see Minhyuk’s parents take her out in her wheelchair all the time. 

“Minhyuk... god.” During his first year at the academy, Hyunwoo had heard from his mother that both of Minhyuk’s parents died in a car accident. “Your parents...”

“Truck driver had fallen asleep at the wheel. The car was so mangled they had to take them out in pieces.”

Fuck. “I didn’t recognise you with the... all this.” He motioned to the outfit. 

“I make more money dressed like this. I can suck guys off and make them think I’m a girl or I can go to the other side of town and find guys who wanna fuck a pretty boy in a dress.” He sounded so empty and detached. The Minhyuk he remembered was almost always smiling and laughing.

“Why are you doing this? It’s dangerous. If I hadn’t come along that man could have raped you.”

Minhyuk fixed him with a hard stare. “I don’t do it because I like it, Hyunwoo. I do it because medicine costs money and so does food and a roof over our heads. I couldn’t let her get thrown into some horrible facility! You think I’d be doing this if I had a choice? That man almost raped me but last week someone actually did rape me. That was the fourth time it’s happened. Usually I’m lucky and guys just smack me around a little if they decide they don’t wanna pay.” The tears bubbled back over. Hyunwoo wanted to cry, too. 

“I’m so sorry, Minhyuk...”

His radio crackled to life again. “What’s taking so long? Bring him in.”

“Sir I really don’t think he—”

“You need to toughen up, boy. Otherwise you’ll be eaten alive in this job. Bring him in or I’ll come and do it.”

“Please Hyunwoo. You know me. I can’t go to jail.”

“They’ll probably just give you a fine...”

“No, please. Please let me run.” He begged desperately. 

“I’m so sorry.” He began tugging Minhyuk along, causing the younger to try and break away but Hyunwoo was much stronger. 

Minhyuk cried his eyes out all the way to the station, sobs only getting louder when Hyunwoo’s mentor told him to shut up. 

The booking officer had used all kinds of vile words towards Minhyuk, right in front of the boy as he booked him in and took his fingerprints. When he motioned for another officer to toss Minhyuk into an overcrowded lockup, the young man protested and struggled in the officer’s grasp. 

“Please not in with them! Please!”

“A fairy like you should like it in there with all those men!” The officer laughed. 

“Hey what’s up that skirt, baby?” One of the guys called from the cell. 

The look Minhyuk gave Hyunwoo was a silent plea for help but Hyunwoo let himself be lead away by his mentor, receiving a congratulatory slap on the back. 

_______________________  
_______________________

**Friday. 3rd August. 2018.**

The rain was pretty welcome, actually. It cut through the stagnant summer air but didn’t do much to abate the relentless heat. Hyunwoo sipped his coffee as his car idled at the crossing lights on his way to work. 

He was well caffeinated enough to recognise a familiar person crossing the street in front of him, heading to the metro station. Kihyun. He wound down the window and called out. “Hey! Kihyun?”

Kihyun stopped and looked, recognising him in return. “Oh hey!”

“Need a ride?”

“God yes!” He hurried over to the car as the lights turned green, climbing in and fastening his seatbelt. “God, I’m soaking wet.” He lamented, pawing at his saturated clothing. “Damn there are about a thousand dirty jokes I could make about riding and being wet but I won’t.”

“Why the heck were you out there? You drive, right?”

“Driving home in Seoul rush hour traffic takes forever so I figured I’d try taking public transport. Picked a bad day, though. It wasn’t actually raining yet when I left my apartment.”

“You’re gonna catch your death a cold, you really are soaked.”

“Looks like I’ll be walking round naked under my lab coat.” Kihyun joked, pushing his wet hair out of his eyes. 

Damn. Kihyun wearing nothing but a lab coat? Hyunwoo forced that mental image and the dirty thoughts which accompanied it away. “I keep a spare shirt in my office but I can’t help you with pants, sorry.”

“A shirt would be awesome. I was gonna come and see you in your office first thing this morning, anyway. I found something last night that’ll be of interest to you.”

“Oh?”

“Sooooo there were, of course, a shit load of DNA profiles and fingerprints all over that car since it was stolen from a big family. So we’re still going through the damn thing. Obviously other than the victim and Jooheon there’s the profile of a third person of interest but we actually may have found a fourth. One of the guys lifted a set of prints from the inside and outside edges of the driver’s side door and outside handle which had a hit on the national database.”

“Oh?” So they might have another name. This could only be good news. 

“The guy was fingerprinted from an arrest you made, actually.”

“Who?”

“Lee Minhyuk? Conviction for prostitution and public indecency. Charged and acquitted of assault in a separate incident, according to his records.”

Hyunwoo felt his blood turn to ice. Minhyuk. No, it couldn’t be. He would have told him if he was that closely involved, right? Surely. Unless... was he hiding something? “I-I see.”

“They didn’t take DNA when he was arrested so it isn’t on record but it might be in that vehicle, we really should bring him in and swab him. Could be his semen on the back seat with Jooheon’s, even.” 

“He won’t come easily... shit. Can you keep this between us for now?”

Kihyun looked at him, surprised by the request. “What? You’re asking me to withhold information? It’s evidence, it needs to be reported properly.” He frowned, obviously disapproving. 

“I’ll bring him in. It has to be me. Please, Kihyun.” Hyunwoo couldn’t let his association with Minhyuk get in the way. This was serious. He’d give him a chance to come voluntarily, though. Fuck, he hoped Minhyuk hadn’t done anything stupid. 

The redhead gave a skeptical look. “Ok... but you better do it soon, otherwise I’ll submit the fingerprint hit into the formal report and they’ll just send uniform to go pick him up.”

“He’s a good person. I’m sure he hasn’t done anything terrible.” Hyunwoo said more to convince himself than anyone else. 

There was a long pause before Kihyun spoke again. “You seem very familiar with him.”

“We’ve known each other a while. We went to the same school.”

“That’s kinda a conflict of interest, isn’t it?”

“We aren’t really close. I see him maybe once a month or so.” He explained. 

“Look, I wasn’t implying he killed that guy or hurt Lee Jooheon. But like it or not, he had to have been around that vehicle. There’s no getting away from that. His fingerprints are in a car with a missing person’s blood and semen in it and a violently murdered corpse in the trunk. That doesn’t look great.”

“I know.” Hyunwoo wasn’t stupid. He knew the implications. “I’ll bring him in for swabs and questioning, don’t worry.” 

A heavy tension hung in the air right up until Hyunwoo pulled into the underground parking lot. 

Kihyun followed him into the building, rainwater dripping off his clothes and messenger bag as he walked. “Sorry if I said anything to piss you off, Hyunwoo.”

“No, it’s fine. You only told me the facts. I’ll go get Minhyuk tomorrow, I have a lot to do today and tonight I’m going back to The Emporium with Hoseok. We need to get some more answers or talk to Mr Kim or at least discover his whereabouts. Worst comes to worst we can bring people in on suspicion of facilitating prostitution and question them properly.” He unlocked his office and lead Kihyun inside. 

“Did the judge grant you a warrant?”

“No. But that’s ok.” Hyunwoo opened a locker in the corner of the room, containing his old uniform jacket and a white shirt hanging up. “Here. It’ll probably be kinda big on you but it’s better than walking around in a wet T-shirt.” He slipped the shirt off the hanger and handed it over.

“Thanks.” Kihyun took it and by the time Hyunwoo had turned back around from closing the locker, the redhead was already peeling off his soaked T-shirt.

“Whoa! Sorry.” He spun back around almost fast enough to give himself whiplash. 

“It’s fine. Why so awkward? We’re both men.” Kihyun laughed. 

“That’s kinda the problem.” Hyunwoo kept his eyes averted. 

“What, afraid you’ll catch The Gay?” The younger raised a brow, voice slightly edged like he was trying to not sound offended. 

Oh god, the last thing he wanted was for Kihyun to think he was some kind of homophobic arsehole. “No! On the contrary. I’m gay so it would feel disrespectful to be looking at you half naked.”

“Why? I’m undressing right in your office.”

“You probably don’t want me leering at you like a pervert.” He could feel his own face heating up. 

“And what makes you the one to decide what I do and don’t want? Actually, I like my body and it would do wonders for my ego to have you looking at me.”

Oh god. Was Kihyun for real? Hyunwoo swallowed his nerves as he cautiously turned around to see Kihyun standing there shirtless, wet hair pushed back and the damp skin of his torso on full display. A lean and firm body which would look just so damn good under Hyunwoo’s hands... 

“Tell me, do you like what you see, Hyunwoo?” A playful smirk graced the other’s lips as he picked up the shirt and slipped it on slowly. That look on his face was making Hyunwoo’s heart climb up into his throat. 

“I do.” He answered honestly. What was the point in lying? Kihyun could probably see it all over his face and was being so forward, anyway. 

“Good. How ‘bout I see you in the shooting gallery before you head off to the club later? My T-shirt should be dry by then and I can give this back to you.” He flashed a toothy smile, buttoning the shirt which came half way down his thighs. He rolled up the sleeves so that they didn’t swallow his hands, too. Kihyun was managing to stir desires Hyunwoo hadn’t let himself experience for a long time. 

“Message me when you’re ready.” Hyunwoo somehow orientated his words while Kihyun just winked and sauntered out of the office, taking his soaked T-shirt with him. 

________________________

Hoseok was gonna be brave. He was gonna brooch the subject of asking Hyungwon out... again. He gulped as he pressed the buzzer on the door to the pathologist’s lab. 

“Yes?” He heard Hyungwon’s voice. 

“Can I come in? I need somewhere to sit while I look at some CCTV footage.”

“Yes. You may come in.” The door clicked, signifying it was unlocked.

Hyungwon was returning to his seat. He looked different, with his pretty face unobscured by the thick glasses he usually wore. He was going back to scribbling on sheets of paper, probably compiling one of his reports. 

“Oh. Where are your glasses?” Hoseok enquired as he sat at the other end of the bench to give the younger the personal space he liked, setting his laptop on the surface. 

Hyungwon didn’t look up. “There’s someone I know who I want to look good for. So I decided to try contact lenses. I’m frequently told that my glasses are ugly.”

Hoseok’s heart sank, for many reasons. “Whoever it is, they’re very lucky. You look great, Hyungwon. I think your glasses are cute, though.” He loved the way Hyungwon was almost constantly adjusting the things and the way he’d tape them to his face when he was working on a postmortem so they wouldn’t slip down with gravity. It was adorable. 

“I don’t think they like me back, anyway. I think I’m too strange for somebody to like me, I am pretty undesirable for many reasons. I don’t know why I’m bothering. These things are irritating my eyes.” He looked so forlorn with a hint of a frown on his face. 

“If they don’t like you back then they’re obviously stupid and not worthy. I also hope they wouldn’t want you wearing contact lenses for them if they’re uncomfortable for you.” It made Hoseok’s chest fill with a heavy sadness to hear the younger man talk like that. 

Hyungwon bit his lower lip, a sign he was either anxious or frustrated. This usually meant he was done talking for a while. Sure enough, this time was no different. He just went back to scribbling down notes and Hoseok wasn’t going to push him to converse. 

So, the officer switched on his laptop and began pulling up some CCTV from outside a convenience store near The Emporium. It gave a view of the alley down one side of the place and he’d been scouring through hours of footage from the days leading up to when their victim died. 

Then, he saw someone he was almost certain was Lee Jooheon appear. He looked at the time stamp. _Tuesday, 19th July 2018, 10:32pm._ That was roughly a day or two before the man was killed. “Yes!” 

Hyungwon was so startled he almost jumped out of his own skin at the sudden yell. “What on earth?” 

“Sorry. I found something on CCTV from just before our guy died. I’m like 97% sure this is Lee Jooheon.” He narrowed his eyes at the video footage. It showed what appeared to be Jooheon with another young man. The young man was getting down on his knees in front of Jooheon, who had his hand on the back of his head. Ah. 

Hyungwon made his way over and looked over Hoseok’s shoulder at the screen. “What are they doing?”

“Looks like our Jooheon is getting a blowjob from someone.”

“Oh my god.” Hyungwon blushed and covered his eyes. Cute. 

“He’s a prostitute so it’s a little odd since he’s on the receiving end, I doubt that’s a paying customer. Unless giving oral is what they’re into, I guess.” Hoseok watched and tried to get a better look at the other person’s face. Finally, the pair had apparently finished what they were up to and began just kissing, the mystery person’s face still obscured. 

“Is it safe to look yet?”

“Yeah.” Hoseok chuckled. 

“Don’t ask for my input on this. I don’t understand human behaviour.”

“Well there’s many things I don’t understand, either. People are complex and everyone’s different.” Hoseok assured him.

“I would like to one day understand you. Beyond that I don’t have much desire to understand people, I gave up a long time ago.”

“There isn’t much to understand when it comes to me.” Hoseok shrugged and looked closer at the screen as a third person entered the frame. Someone familiar. The two boys noticed the individual and some sort of argument appeared to be happening. The familiar person struck Jooheon across the face and pushed him up against the wall, holding what appeared to be a knife. Then there was a scuffle between the three which moved off-screen. That person. He knew exactly who that was. “Oh shit... Hyunwoo isn’t gonna like this.”

“Why?” 

He continued watching as a man in a suit walked through the frame in the same direction as the resulting scuffle. “The guy with the knife just then is a— uh... friend? of Hyunwoo’s. His name is Minhyuk. I’m sure it’s him.”

“He has a knife and I read Dr. Yoo’s report and the report from the blood splatter specialist. Jooheon suffered a likely arterial bleed at the scene. Perhaps this Minhyuk is the one who injured him.” 

“That’s kinda jumping to conclusions. But it does implicate Minhyuk.” Hyunwoo hadn’t mentioned Minhyuk had told him anything like this. Minhyuk must have lied and liars usually have something to hide. 

“We really need to bring him in for questioning but Hyunwoo wouldn’t want to do that. He protects Minhyuk, he spent a fortune on a good lawyer for him when he was arrested for stabbing a man in the eye not too long ago.”

“He stabbed someone in the eye? He sounds like a violent individual.” Hyungwon frowned. 

“It was found to be self defence. But still. I mean, I only met him twice so I don’t really know him... I may have to bring him in myself and tell Hyunwoo about it later.”

“You need to tell him, Hoseok. Even I understand that people react negatively to being deceived.”

“God, I’ll think about it and deal with it tomorrow.” Hoseok rubbed his temples. “We’re going back to this place tonight for more questioning. Hyunwoo could do without this distraction.”

“I have to go finish this report now and then I have quite the backlog of clients. As usual, you are welcome to remain here to work on the condition you are silent. I will warn you, however, I have a client who is currently in the fifth stage and I’ll need to see to him soon.”

“Remind me again which one the fifth is?”

“Putrefaction.”

“Ah. I’ll stay until you get to that one in.” Because the sound of him gagging over the smell would probably annoy Hyungwon. Apparently gagging counts as talking. 

______________________

“You need to angle your hips around more.” Hyunwoo instructed. 

“I don’t really understand what you’re asking me to do.” Kihyun complained as he stood with the gun trained down range. This was his second lesson and he was improving well. His main problem was his posture and stance. “Show me.”

Hyunwoo stood beside him and demonstrated. “Like this.”

“No. I mean on me. Move my hips to where they should be.” Kihyun caught the hesitant look on Hyunwoo’s face. “Don’t worry. I only bite if it’s consensual.” He flashed a smile. 

Hyunwoo’s nerves must have kicked in because his hands trembled a little as he stood behind Kihyun and adjusted the angle of his hips. The redhead could feel the warmth of the other man’s body heat seeping through the fabric of his clothes where he touched him. 

He could see Hyunwoo’s reflection in the glass, a blush blooming across his face and it only fed Kihyun’s ego. 

“Now try. Deep breath and squeeze the trigger slowly.” Hyunwoo instructed, voice remarkably stable. Kihyun would have to change that. 

He shifted his stance a little in what was a fully self-aware action so that Hyunwoo had to turn his hips back to the correct position and hold them more firmly. They were close enough now that he could feel the heat radiating off the entirety of the older’s body. “Thank you for the guidance, Officer.” Kihyun fixed his gaze down the sight and fired. Hitting far closer to the centre of the target than before. “See? All it takes is a little bit of man handling.” He teased, excitement brewing under his skin and bringing out the devil in him. 

“That was a pretty good shot for your second lesson. Take the next shot.”

And Kihyun did, this time hitting closer in again. He fired off a few more good shots, emptying the magazine. “How was that?” God, his bones were practically vibrating with adrenaline now. He needed to calm down. 

“That was really good but you were drifting up quite a lot for the last couple of shots. Your hands are looking unsteady.” He could feel Hyunwoo’s breath pass his ear. 

“That’s because I can feel your crotch pressed against my ass.” The amused lilt was practically dripping from Kihyun mouth. 

“Sorry!” Hyunwoo withdrew instantly as though the redhead was a burning hot iron. 

“I wasn’t complaining.” Kihyun disarmed the weapon and set it down carefully along with his eye protection and ear defenders before he turned around to face Hyunwoo, but not advancing closer. No, that wasn’t Kihyun’s style. When he liked someone, he made them come to him. That was all part of the thrill. Some might call him a tease. “You look like a deer caught in the headlights. You need to let go a little, Hyunwoo. Learn to live for the moment before you run out of moments. You only get a finite number of them and you never know when you might get your last.”

Hyunwoo swallowed hard, Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat as he pulled the ear defenders down to hang around his neck. 

“My T-shirt is dry, by the way. You can have this back.” Kihyun tugged at the collar of the shirt. “Come take it off me.” It was a risk, he didn’t know how Hyunwoo would react. This wasn’t something that could be dismissed as playful flirting. He kept his eyes locked on the other man’s face. 

Maybe he’d gone too far and been too pushy. Shit. Just as he was about to open his mouth and apologise profusely for his inappropriate behaviour, Hyunwoo stepped forward and closed most of the space between them. It took everything Kihyun had to maintain eye contact and a neutral expression. His heart was beating like a hummingbird’s wings, especially as Hyunwoo silently reached out and began to undo the buttons of the shirt. 

It was a lot more intense than Kihyun had anticipated. The unwavering eye contact and the slow movements of Hyunwoo’s hands. Strong hands which Kihyun wouldn’t mind having all over his body. Time wasn’t moving around them, it was like they were in their own little bubble.

He stopped breathing when Hyunwoo slipped the fabric off Kihyun’s shoulders and let it fall off his body to pool on the floor. A sense of anticipation passed back and forth between them, like each was waiting for the other to act. Holy fuck, did Kihyun want to act. But no. Again, it had to be Hyunwoo coming to him.

The doors clattered open and the moment shattered like a glass mirror being met with a baseball bat. 

“Hey are you ready to— oh! Shit! Sorry. I’m so sorry.” Hoseok apologised profusely for interrupting the scene he’d walked in on. 

The shade of red Hyunwoo’s face had turned was priceless, it almost made Kihyun forgive himself when he felt his own cheeks heat up.

“It wasn’t what it looked like. I-I let Kihyun borrow my shirt.” Hyunwoo tried to explain. 

“Hey man, you don’t have to explain to me.” Hoseok stifled a laugh. 

“It’s true. Don’t get excited, Officer Bunny.” Kihyun said casually, despite his heart running a mile a minute as he took his T-shirt out of his bag and pulled it on. “See?” He picked up the shirt from the floor and handed it over. 

“Thanks.” Hyunwoo took the item and looked like he wanted to say something else. But Kihyun couldn’t stick around, his chest was feeling awfully constricted all of a sudden. 

“You boys have fun at that strip club tonight.” He wasn’t sure how successful he was at sounding casual as he picked up his bag and slipped out of the room. Probably not very. 

_______________________

The lights in the club were red and a slow, gyrating bass pulsed through the air. It was so hot inside that moisture ran down the walls just as much as it ran down the dancer’s bodies. Hoseok hadn’t brought up what he’d walked in on between Hyunwoo and Kihyun. He knew Hyunwoo well enough to know he wouldn’t be up for talking about it just yet. The embarrassment was probably far too fresh. 

Besides, Hoseok had other things on his mind. For some reason felt a nervousness in the pit of his stomach, but he trusted Hyunwoo with his life. Why was he feeling so uneasy?

“Hey boys, still looking for Mr Kim? You just missed him, actually.” It was the girl from the last time they’d been to this place. She winked, face catching the light in a way which showed up a dark bruise across her face, barely hidden under thick makeup. 

“We need another meeting with your boss here, actually.” Hyunwoo said calmly. 

“Got a warrant this time, sugar?” 

“No.”

She shrugged. “I’ll see what he says. You boys want a drink while you wait?”

“No, thank you. On the clock and all that.” Hyunwoo declined. Except they weren’t technically on the clock. 

He watched as she walked away. “What if we still get nothing?”

“I’m not sure. Guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” Hyunwoo looked around. “Have you seen anything on the security camera footage?”

Shit. Should he tell him? “No. Not yet. But I still have more to look at.” No, Hyunwoo had enough on his mind tonight. He even seemed a little distracted, himself. The Minhyuk revelation could wait until tomorrow. 

“Let me know as soon as you see anything that could be helpful.”

Hoseok nodded. “So uh... I was gonna try asking Hyungwon out again today. But... he kinda said he liked someone so there goes my chances.” He sighed, hoping the idle chitchat would distract himself from the fact he was withholding evidence and toying with the idea of going behind Hyunwoo’s back and arresting Minhyuk.

“What? Who?”

“I don’t know. I couldn’t bare to ask.”

Hyunwoo rolled his eyes. “Oh Hoseok, it’s obviously you.”

“There’s no way.”

“Seriously?” Hyunwoo chuckled. “Who else could it possibly be? He doesn’t speak to anyone else other than you and me.”

“So it could be you.” Hoseok pouted. 

“I highly doubt it. You’re the one he lets into his lab, not me.”

“I just... what if he doesn’t like me in that way? And I go and ruin everything with my stupid feelings?”

Their conversation was halted by two large looking men coming out of the back room behind the bar and standing either side of them. 

“If you gentlemen would like to follow us, please.”

“Of course.” Hyunwoo said, once again his voice remaining calm. 

Hoseok knew instantly that something was very wrong because rather than being taken behind the stage to the office with the red door, they were brought out the back door into the alley behind the building. Not even the one covered by the convenience store’s security camera. This alley was especially dark and obscured. Shit. 

Hyunwoo must have felt it too because his hand went to his hip where he carried his gun. 

“You two are in danger of becoming a thorn in my side.” It was the man from last time, he was waiting for them. 

“We just want to ask a couple more questions.” Again, Hyunwoo remained calm. 

“Sorry, boys. No more questions.” With a deranged grin, the man drew a gun and fired, hitting Hyunwoo in the thigh. 

“Shit!” Hyunwoo grabbed his weapon and returned fire quickly as they both retreated back, Hoseok pulling them both down behind a metal dumpster. 

“Where are you hit?” Hoseok drew his own weapon. His gut feeling had come to fruition. 

“Just my thigh, I think it just clipped it.” Hyunwoo grimaced in pain. It was hard to see the extent of the injury in the darkness. 

These guys wouldn’t risk attempting to kill a cop and being caught. These guys weren’t gonna let them get out alive after the first shot was fired. They knew they were there without a warrant and they probably thought it was likely nobody knew they were there. No witnesses. 

It also meant they probably had a lot to hide. 

Another bullet struck the dumpster with a metallic _tang_. “Come on out little piggies! Oink oink!” One of the three men laughed. “There’s nowhere for you to go, come out and die like men.”

“Hoseok, you run and I’ll provide cover fire from here. Get to the car and drive it down here, it’ll get through that fence at the end no problem. I won’t be able to run fast enough with this.”

“Take my gun. Two are better than one.” Hoseok handed over his weapon. 

“There’s another in the glovebox, grab it when you get there, you might need it.” He handed over the keys. 

“Ah this is just like old times, right? Won’t be doing this with my new partner any time soon. Poor kid.” He took a deep breath. “I hate shoot outs, though. If I wanted to be involved in a stand off I’d be working on drug busts.”

Hyunwoo cracked a grin through his pain “Same here. Ready?”

“Yeah.” He wasnt. What difference would one more lie make, anyway?

“Three... two... one!” Hyunwoo forced himself out from behind the relative safety of the dumpster and fired off a number of shots in the direction of their assailants while Hoseok took off running. The darkness made it hard for them to be seen, at least. 

It wasn’t far to Hyunwoo’s car. Hoseok had almost reached it when he was knocked forward by what felt like a hard punch near his right shoulder blade. It didn’t hurt but it almost knocked him to the ground. It disorientated him more than it should have, though. For some reason, his body wasn’t moving and there was a warm wetness clinging to his shirt even though it stopped raining hours ago. There was another hard hit, this time further down. 

Somehow he found himself laying face down on the cold, damp ground. He could hear muted gunfire and yelling but his ears felt like they were full of cotton. Shit, why wouldn’t his body just move? Why was he on the ground? He needed to get up and move because Hyunwoo was injured and would soon run out of bullets. He didn’t even remember falling. His whole chest felt hot now. There was a rushing sound in his years and his chest felt tight. It was like he needed to cough and there was thick liquid already in his mouth. 

He spat out whatever it was. It tasted metallic and strange. 

Then he was aware of being dragged along the ground. 

“Hoseok!” A voice was calling his name but it was muffled. Then he wasn’t being dragged anymore. 

He tried moving and the first wave of pain hit. It ripped through his entire upper body and along his right arm. A deep, visceral pain which he’d never experienced before in his life. It burned like a small sun was stuck somewhere in his core.

“Hoseok! Hang in there!” That voice again. Was it Hyunwoo? He sounded so far away. Someone was jostling him now. 

He couldn’t breathe. For the first time his confusion was taken over by complete panic. He felt like he was drowning in the metallic tasting liquid. Hoseok forced his eyes open. When had he even closed them?

“Ambulance please.” Hyunwoo’s voice again.

There was blood in front of him on the ground. Someone was holding him, making sure he remained on his side so blood could drip from his mouth and not trickle down his throat. Fuck. So that really was blood. His blood. 

“Gunshot to the chest.” Gunshot to the chest? Was Hyunwoo talking about him? 

Then there was blackness. A numb, floating kind of blackness. Both warm and cold at the same time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, so Minhyuk knew more than he let on. And what’s gonna happen to Hoseok?
> 
> ____
> 
> **Next time:** There’s nothing like the feel death’s cold breath on the back of your neck to make you realise what’s important.
> 
> Oh and come say hi on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/TheClamp2) ! :D If anyone chooses to follow me I’ll of course follow back. I post updates and also some extra visual content for fics (and sometimes photos of my cat…).


	5. Fear the Reaper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Guys? I think he’s gonna crash.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah this was tough to write under the current circumstances! Once again I apologise greatly for the delay!
> 
> WARNINGS: Contains some medical jargon but the important things are explained. Also contains feels!

**Friday. 3rd August. 2018.**

_BEEP.........BEEP.........BEEP.........BEEP..........BEEP_

Ah, that sound was so piercing. His ears were ringing, which was bad enough without the incessant beeping noise, interrupted by more urgent sounding dings. 

“Lee Hoseok. Police officer injured in a shooting. GCS 5, he’s localising to pain, pupils equal and reactive. Two gunshot wounds. Two entry wounds and one exit wound to upper right chest. He’s had two units of O negative RBC.”

Unfamiliar voices. Muted like he was underwater. 

“Let’s move him over. Can we get a hand? Ready, set, roll.”

Oh. Pain. A lot of pain. Why did it hurt so much? God, his whole upper body was in pure agony but he couldn’t yell out in distress. 

“Ready, set, slide.” 

More movement and more pain. What the hell was happening? Why did it hurt so much to try and breathe? And then was this strange floaty feeling and the distressing undercurrent of nausea. 

“There was another officer shot at the scene. They’ve taken him to bay one. Two other casualties pending.”

Shot. That’s right, he remembered the gunfire. The other officer must have been Hyunwoo. Oh god, what if Hyunwoo wasn’t ok?

“Thank you. Let’s get another two units of of red cells pushed through and we’ll get a central line in to start a noradrenaline infusion. Someone put in an arterial line and draw off for a blood gas ample, please. He’s hypovolemic and we need to get him stable before we can get him into the OR.” 

To the OR? Was it really that bad?

“Radial pulse is weak.”

Ouch. Someone was doing something to his neck and his wrist. Sticking needles in? Fuck. 

“They want to get him to scan before they open him up. The on-call is coming down to intubate.”

Open him up? Fuck. God, his chest felt so tight. He could barely breathe and he metallic taste was back in his mouth.

“Can we get another ultrasound in here? I think we’re gonna have to put in a chest drain before we move him anywhere.”

What about Hyunwoo? Were people helping him, too? What about him? He was also injured. 

“Guys? I think he’s gonna crash.”

His heart paused and shuddered, he felt it like something strange and foreign, then it pounded like a hammer before pausing again and thumping strangely. Oh fuck. The voices were fading away again. Suddenly he was terrified. Absolutely fucking terrified. Was he dying? He couldn’t die. He couldn’t die. He couldn’t! He wasn't ready.

“Can we get sodium thiopental and succinylcholine drawn up ready to go?”

_____________________  
_____________________

**Saturday. 4th August. 2018.**

“Son Hyunwoo and Lee Hoseok. They were brought in last night from a shooting. We’re here to see them.” Kihyun was doing his best to control the panic starting to bubble up inside. But for all he knew, they could both be dead. All he’d been told was that there was a shooting at the club and they’d been rushed into hospital. 

“Ah Son Hyunwoo is in bay one. Lee Hoseok is possibly still in surgery.” The nurse at the desk said carefully. “You can go through to see Son Hyunwoo soon, the Doctor is with him at the moment. Please take a seat and I’ll call you through, Sir.” Good. So they were at least alive. 

Kihyun turned around, expecting to see Hyungwon still trying to hide behind him despite being significantly taller than Kihyun. But no, the space behind him was empty. God, he didn’t need to be babysitting a grown man right now, it was hard enough keeping his own shit together. Not that he’d admit that. Hyungwon had been eerily quiet the entire car ride here, just sitting there gnawing on his lower lip until it bled. 

“Hyungwon?” He peered around. Hyungwon was standing in the corner of the room, facing the wall like some kind of goddamn lunatic. “Fuck sake...” He marched over to the other man, voice stern and authoritative. “What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you standing here?” He hissed. 

“Why do you keep asking what’s wrong with me? Do you mean right now? I’m about to have a panic attack so I’m pretending to be somewhere enclosed so I can calm down but it isn’t working. Do you require further details?” Hyungwon pushed his sentences out quickly like every word was ripping off a bandaid. Clearly he was distressed. 

So obviously now Kihyun felt like an asshole. “Hyungwon... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m just worried about them and I guess I should have kept in mind that you’re probably worried, too. You know them better than me, too.”

“I-I’m just feeling extremely o-overwhelmed. It’s very loud in here and there are a lot of people. There’s a lot going on, I feel like I’m drowning in an overload to my senses.” Hyungwon was starting to breathe far too quickly. “A-And I’m concerned about the welfare of my friends.”

“It’s ok.” Kihyun remembered Hyungwon not being good in crowds from back in university. The ER was utter chaos so of course Hyungwon was struggling. Kihyun had witnessed a couple of freak-outs by the younger student, recalling that one time he’d crawled under a table to calm down and another time someone found him standing in the janitor’s closet. Back then, he’d mocked at the younger’s strange behaviour but he liked to think he’d matured enough since to have more empathy. “Come with me. You like small spaces, right?”

Hyungwon nodded shakily and allowed himself to be lead away by the hand and into the bathroom with his eyes closed. Putting his trust in Kihyun. 

Kihyun bundled him into an empty stall and locked the door behind them. “How’s this? Better?”

“This is good. This is better.” He was still breathing rapidly but was at least able to open his eyes now. 

“Just take slow, deep breaths.” Kihyun didn’t know if he’d make things better or worse by reaching out and touching Hyungwon. He was personally acquainted with the runaway feeling of a panic attack but the way his head worked was poles apart from how Hyungwon’s brain would compute. Maybe it was pat of the reason they never saw eye-to-eye. This situation was a perfect example. Kihyun couldn’t think of anything worse than being in a small space. Even now in the cramped toilet stall he could feel his throat tightening up. He felt trapped and an innate need to escape was itching in the back of his brain. 

“Thank you Dr. Yoo.” Hyungwon eventually whispered, almost too quiet to hear. He sounded terrified and despite their differences, it made Kihyun’s heart twinge with sympathy. He was human, after all. 

“Do you want to stay in here and I’ll come get you when they say we can see Hyunwoo?” He hoped Hyungwon didn’t want him to stay because the walls were starting to close in on him. 

Hyungwon nodded a yes. 

“Just call or text me if you need me to come back in.” But shit, did he hope he wouldn’t have to. 

Hyungwon nodded again. 

Kihyun extracted himself from the stall and flew back out into the waiting room, glad to be back out into a larger space. He sure could have done with with some fresh air, though. He sat himself in an empty chair, suitably far away from the other occupied ones, taking some slow deep breaths. 

Usually he was so much better at holding himself together. He’d forgive himself this time, though. 

......

The world had blurred out around Hyunwoo as he sat on the trolley in the hospital bay. The pain in his thigh present but dulled as the doctor re-dressed the ugly gash left across it. 

He’d really fucked up. All he knew was that Hoseok was rushed to surgery but they wouldn’t tell him anything else. That could only be a bad sign. There had been so much blood, of course it was bad. If he’d disarmed their assailants as he should have then this wouldn’t have happened. On top of that, he was the one who brought Hoseok into that situation in the first place.

But it had been so dark. He could barely see where he was shooting. He’d had to fire almost completely blindly. As a result, Mr Kim’s partner was pronounced dead at the scene and the two grunts were also injured. He’d managed to permanently silence a possible key person of interest, a bullet finding it’s way straight through his neck and causing him to bleed to death frighteningly quickly. 

He’d killed somebody. Somebody who could have had valuable information. 

Meanwhile, someone he’d protected for years was possibly deceiving him. How could Minhyuk possibly explain away his fingerprints being on the car? He said he hadn’t seen Jooheon for a while but the car hadn't been reported stolen long before the murder. There was no getting away from that. 

Hyunwoo felt incompetent and just plain fucking stupid. 

“You’ll be taken up to the ward soon before they can clean and close this.” The doctor explained as she tossed her gloves in the clinical waste. 

“Can’t you stitch me up here?”

“They’d need to properly close the muscle and give it a good washout. I’m afraid it isn’t something we can do with local anaesthetic, you’ll need to be out for it. You’ll probably only need to wait a couple of hours. Let us know if you require more pain relief,” She gave a quick smile before she left him alone with his thoughts. 

“Thank you doctor...” He really didn’t have time for this. 

He listened to he tick of the clock on the wall for a few long minutes, head full of white noise. 

“Ah you’re in one piece!”

Hyunwoo looked up quickly to see Kihyun with Hyungwon wide eyed and trailing closely behind him. “What are you two doing here?” 

“They told us this morning what happened. We came straight here.” Kihyun let out a relieved huff. “Fuck. I was envisioning coming in and seeing you all hooked up to a bunch of monitors and have tubes coming out of all kinds of places.”

“I’m fine. Just need sewing up. Hoseok’s been in surgery for a few hours but they won’t tell me anything else. He was shot through the chest from behind. That much I know.”

Kihyun’s eyes widened. “The left or the right?”

“I uh...” It was all such a blur. He was sure it was the right. That was better than it being the left, surely. “I think it was the right. I’m sure. I just wanna know that he’s ok.”

Hyungwon had drifted to the computer in the bay. “The system is logged in. We can just search his records. He’s bound to have had a CT or MRI.” 

“That’s illegal, Hyungwon.” Kihyun frowned. 

“I have to know. I’m almost certain Hyunwoo won’t arrest me for accessing confidential medical records.” Hyungwon was already typing in Hoseok’s name and date of birth. 

“Information governance isn’t really my area anyway.” Besides, he needed to know that his best friend was ok... or if he wasn’t. 

The scans that appeared on the screen meant practically nothing to Hyunwoo. The frown which dawned on Kihyun’s face told him a lot, though. “What are we talking here?” He dared to ask, afraid of the answer. 

“This is probably closer to Hyungwon’s knowledge base than mine.” Kihyun admitted. 

Hyungwon’s eyes were still studying though the images, lips pulled between his teeth. “Bullet lodged in the posterior of the iliac crest. There appears to be no additional damage except to the surrounding soft tissues. Through-shot to upper right thoracic area. Transaction of the subclavian vessels and upper lobe lung damage causing a haemopneumothorax. Damage to the scapula and associated musculature.” He recited off robotically as though he was giving any other report. “Risk of death from exsanguination minimal due to rapid hospitalisation. Risk of imminent death due to cardiovascular collapse is possible. Risk of death occurring later due to complications and poor healing also possible. Some risk of loss of limb also very possible due to compromised blood supply to the arm. Risk of permanent injury affecting range of motion almost guaranteed.”

“Can I get that in Korean?” Hyunwoo caught the risk of death part, he almost didn’t want to understand the full implications, though. 

“There’s a bullet stuck in the back of his hip bone which stopped it damaging anything else so he was lucky but one went straight through his chest and damaged some major vessels and caused some of his lung to collapse because of blood and air filling his chest cavity. That’s a pretty serious injury. His shoulder movement probably won’t ever be the same again. But I think he’ll pull through.” The redhead clarified, hand finding Hyunwoo’s on the bed, hooking two fingers around his. 

“Sorry to disturb but you were here to see Lee Hoseok, too? He’s out of surgery and can have one visitor at a time.” The nurse from the desk said gently from the bay door.

“You should go see him, Hyungwon. I... I can’t face seeing him like that right now. I already feel too guilty. Please tell him I’ll come see him very soon.” Hyunwoo bit his lip. 

“What? I don’t know what exactly happened but I severely doubt it was your fault. Why do you feel guilty?” Kihyun furrowed his brow. 

“I should have covered for him better. He was running back to my car. It was so dark I could barely see a thing.”

“It doesn’t sound like it was your fault and I’m extremely convinced Hoseok won’t be blaming you, either.” Hyungwon cut in urgently. “I’ll tell him you will see him soon, so you better not make me a liar, Officer Son.” He dipped his head and hurried away. 

“I don’t want to hear you blaming yourself, Hyunwoo.” Kihyun folded his arms across his chest as though the topic simply wasn't up for debate. 

“I just need to get back to the investigation.” He tried moving to get off the bed, but the pain in his leg only increased when he tried to shift. 

“Need I remind you that you’re part of a team? Uniform can raid that place. Gather every scrap of evidence. I go there myself and lift every single fingerprint. Right now you need to sit back and wait for them to come and fix your leg and don’t you dare complain. You scared the absolute shit out of me, Hyunwoo.”

“I... I’m sorry. I’m sorry I made you worry.”

“Don’t apologise you big dumb goddamn stupid idiot. You listen here, you’re gonna follow medical advise. You’re gonna get patched up and then you’re gonna delegate the footwork out. You’re gonna continue this investigation once you’re discharged from here and you’re gonna solve this case. You’re not gonna do it at the detriment of your health, though. Do you understand me?” He hooked a finger under Hyunwoo’s jaw to force the older to look him in the eye. Their faces barely an inch apart. 

Hyunwoo met his gaze, those sharp and intense eyes which made his heart quiver whenever he was on the receiving end of their unrelenting focus. “Y-Yes?” 

“Good.” Kihyun sounded breathless all of a sudden. 

Life was short. Too short. That was perfectly evident right now. Hyunwoo’s heart was already thundering in his chest when his body acted independent of his mind. He closed the gap between them and kissed Kihyun’s lips, one hand coming to the back of his head as he leaned into it. It felt like a release to finally feel those lips against his. To inhale the same air as someone and snap the tension between them. 

“Hyunwoo.” Kihyun gasped into his mouth but didn't pull away.

Hyunwoo suddenly realised what he was doing. “Sorry I—” Maybe it wasn’t too late to blame the painkillers. He tried to withdraw sharply but there was a hand gripping his shirt and preventing him from moving away. 

“Shut up.” Kihyun brought his other hand up to cup Hyunwoo’s jaw and used his thumb where it sat on his chin to tug down and part the older’s lips just a little, going back in for another kiss. This one was far more sure than it was tentative, Kihyun taking the lead. “Don’t ever scare me like that again...”

“I-I’ll try not to...” Hyunwoo felt a little dumbfounded, flustered even and wanting more but too afraid to reach out and take it again. 

“Look, I have to organise some things at the lab but I’ll come back in a couple of hours. Hopefully you should be patched up by then.”

“You don’t have to be here. It’s ok.”

“I want to. They can live without me for like half a day. Besides, we need to have a super awkward conversation about that kiss. But you did start it and then you didn’t force me away when I kissed you back so maybe it won’t be so awkward.” He ran a hand through his slightly faded red hair. “Anyway, I’ll have to come back later to take Dr. Frankenstein home. I’ll put my head in the room and ask him how long he needs.”

“Thank you, Kihyun.” 

“Just thank me by being good for the doctors and nurses.” 

.....

“Hey there, Hoseok.” Hyungwon said softly, gingerly taking a seat next to the officer’s bedside. 

Hoseok remained motionless, no sign of consciousness whatsoever. Eyes closed and skin deathly pale. 

Hyungwon didn’t really know what to do, he felt like a lost child. He just didn’t know how he should react to this situation, it wasn’t something he’d ever faced before. His head a mess of confusing thoughts and emotions which he didn’t know how to process. This environment was a strange mix of the familiar and completely alien. He usually felt so at ease with Hoseok because the older never judged him harshly. It was like he understood. 

He felt like crying so he decided should focus on things he could understand. Hyungwon moved his eyes over the infusions and hanging bags attached to lines in Hoseok’s neck and arm. A unit of blood, a bag of compound sodium lactate and syringe of noradrenaline running at 3ml/hr. A chest drain was exiting his side and collecting watered down blood within it. 

Next, he glanced over the numbers on the monitor. Heart rate 93bpm, blood pressure 91/52, oxygen saturation 98% while receiving 10 litres of oxygen via a mask. Nothing too bad, considering. Actually, it all looked pretty good for someone who had gone through such a traumatic injury. He probably still at a circulating volume deficit but aside from that, his body seemed to be coping extremely well. 

Hyungwon felt a little calmer. Not just because things looked positive but also because numbers made sense. Anatomy and physiology made sense. He understood the human body perfectly well. It gave him a feeling of safety and familiarity. A small sense of control and comfort in a situation wildly outside the norm. This whole thing was such a lot and his own inability to function frustrated him and mixed with the prickling feeling of anxiety. 

Because... what if? It was a question Hyungwon had never asked himself before. What was the point in wondering about different outcomes? It made no difference to the way things were. But still, what if the outcome had been much worse?

The anxiety stopped prickling and started scratching. Clawing. So, he started talking in an attempt to distract himself. “I’m glad you still have all your body parts attached to you, Hoseok.” Hyungwon let out a shuddering breath, shifting his gaze to the floor. “I’m sorry I invaded your privacy by looking at your scans. I just wanted to see if you were going to die or not because that was an important thing to know.” He felt wetness on his own face. “I don’t know why I’m crying. You’re alive and doing remarkably well, actually. I shouldn’t be crying. I never cry. There’s no point, it isn’t rational and doesn’t make sense.” He sniffled, wiping at his own tears to calm himself. “I’m sorry I’m like this. I’m just really terrified.”

He dabbed his eyes with his sleeve, unable to stop a few sobs escaping. This was so overwhelming. Hyungwon recalled telling Hyunwoo he didn’t fear death. Apparently that was a sentiment which had been rendered untrue. A lie. Because when he was informed Hoseok had been shot, in that moment he feared death for the first time. He feared it would take someone away from him. For the first time in his life, death was not simply a passive, inevitable destination. It was suddenly a malicious and terrifying force which needed to be fought off a all costs. 

“I don’t know how to act in this situation. I don’t really become attached to people but I care very much about you. I wore those contact lenses for you. I don’t know why, you just make me feel happy when you call me handsome. Which in itself is a stupid thing to feel because why should it matter if someone else considers me subjectively attractive? For the record, I really like the way you smile at me randomly while I work. The thought that I may lose you forever terrified me beyond all reason.” He sighed deeply. “Look at me, I can only speak to you openly about this because you aren’t conscious. I’m too strange and awkward and I’m afraid you’d be disgusted by me.”

There was a long pause where the only sound in the room was the steady bleep of the monitor. 

“Why... would I ever be disgusted?” Came Hoseok’s whisper of a voice. 

Hyungwon’s heart almost jumped right out of his mouth as he turned wide-eyed to the other man. Hoseok was looking right back at him. “D-Did you hear all of that?” 

“Yeah.... Hyungwon?”

“Y-Yes?”

“Will you...” Hoseok winced and caught his breath for a moment “...let me take you on a date?”

“Why?”

“Mmmh I’ll explain in detail when breathing doesn’t hurt.” Hoseok smiled weakly.

“Of course, you experienced some fairly severe thoracic trauma. They performed a posterolateral thoracotomy on you but seemingly repaired the damage well. They also had to remove a bullet from your iliac c— I mean your hip bone.” Ah yes, he was speaking to someone without advanced knowledge of human anatomy. Sometimes he forgot things like that “So they opened the right hand side of your chest to repair the damage from the bullet and they removed a bullet which had lodged in your right hip bone through another incision. Is that explained in terms you understand?”

Hoseok closed his eyes. “As long as I’m alive.” He grinned as he tried to move his right arm.

Hyungwon instinctively reached out and held his hand gently. “Just rest for now. You have to heal.”

“I’m happy to still be here, otherwise I’d have never asked you to let me take you out on a date.”

“Surely there are more important things to live for.”

“I think you’re underestimating how important you are to me.”

“That was a very sentimental statement and I don’t know how to answer you.” Again, Hyungwon drew his lower lip between his teeth, hoping Hoseok with his greater emotional intelligence would understand and not be offended.

_______________

Hyunwoo felt terrible when he came around from surgery. There was a lot less pain in his thigh but the first thing he became aware of was a wave of nausea. A feeling which didn’t abate, even as he lay restlessly in his hospital bed later that evening. 

“Hello Officer Son. How are you feeling?” Hyungwon was clutching Hoseok’s laptop. “I asked Kihyun to fetch this for you.”

“Hoseok’s computer?” Hyunwoo sat up.

“Apparently there’s some pretty relevant footage on there.” Kihyun explained, following after Hyungwon. 

“How is he?”

“He’s doing really well.” Hyungwon smiled. It occurred to Hyunwoo how rarely he actually saw Hyungwon smile. 

“Thank god.” He breathed a sigh of relief.

“I want you to see this footage now because I believe Hoseok was thinking of acting on it without your knowledge and I think that would have been hurtful to you, despite his good intentions.” Hyungwon explained and set the computer up on the bed, logging in. “He would have possibly decided to contact uniform to make an arrest behind your back.”

“What is it?” Hyunwoo already didn't like where this was going. 

The video of Jooheon and the other individual appeared on the screen. Then came Minhyuk and his apparent argument with the pair. Hyunwoo watched the scene play out on the security footage. There was no doubt it was Minhyuk, even if he was unused to seeing him dressed in men’s clothes. 

So, Minhyuk really had lied to him. Worse still, it looked an awful lot like he had something to hide. It made Hyunwoo think about how little he really knew Minhyuk. Simply tied to him by ever corroding feelings of guilt. 

He held his head in his hands. He couldn’t just overlook this, couldn't give the benefit of the doubt. He had to bring Minhyuk in but the younger probably wouldn’t come quietly. 

“You look devastated. Isn’t this good news? It’s evidence.” Kihyun asked. 

“The one who strikes Jooheon and pulls a knife is Lee Minhyuk. Shit... why did he have to pull a goddamn knife!?” He closed the laptop hard enough to make everyone in the room flinch, himself included. 

“Hoseok said you wouldn’t want to bring him in.” Hyungwon said cautiously.

“He has to.” Kihyun said with an air of stern finality and turned to Hyunwoo. “You have to.” He reiterated, as if he wasn’t clear enough the first time. 

“I know!”

“His prints are on the car. He’s there attacking, arguing with and threatening a still missing Jooheon with a knife. At the very least he knows something.” Kihyun frowned. “At worst he’s involved with whatever happened to our corpse in the trunk.”

“I know!” He stood too quickly from the bed, pain radiating through his thigh muscles and a wave of dizziness coming over him. “Shit. Sorry. I’m sorry for yelling. I’m just— I don’t know what to think. I’ll go find him tonight. I promise. It needs to be me who speaks to him or he won’t cooperate.” He sat back down on the edge of the bed almost in defeat. 

“You’re not going anywhere tonight, it’s late and the nurse said they want to keep you in until tomorrow for IV antibiotics. Someone else can bring him in.”

“No, it has to be me. I’ll try and convince him to come give a voluntary statement.”

“It’ll have wait until tomorrow, then. You look like shit and you can’t drive so soon after an anaesthetic. You probably shouldn’t drive with that injury anyway so I’ll come, too.” Kihyun wasn’t a man to argue with. 

Minhyuk probably wouldn’t take too kindly to Kihyun being there but... Hyunwoo really couldn’t argue with the younger’s concerns. “Ok... fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Hyunwoo confronts Minhyuk. 
> 
> _______
> 
> Again I apologise this was two days late. All this terribleness with Wonho leaving and the stuff with Shownu made this chapter hard to write. Currently I’m also changing over my OCD mediation and so my concentration is all over the place! I’m hoping I’ll feel better soon!


	6. Good Men Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyunwoo finally confronts Minhyuk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for some fairly mild sexual content.

**Monday. 6th August. 2018.**

Hyunwoo rubbed his aching thigh as he absently stared at the chain of emails which had flown around concerning the incident at The Emporium. He’d only been allowed to leave the hospital the day before but there was no way he was going to simply sit at home. 

Kihyun had driven him into work before being sent out to continue overseeing the forensic analysis on-scene and the thorough search of the premises. Apparently the fraud teams as well as the narcotics agents wanted in, too. That meant a whole lot of work for everyone involved. 

His eyes scanned over the emails. There was an ominous one from Director Choi asking him to come to his office at 1pm that day. Probably so Hyunwoo could explain why exactly he and Hoseok were there when there was no official evidence connecting the murder to that establishment. 

There was also a few additional emails he’d been copied into concerning Hoseok and whether he would be able to return to work. That made Hyunwoo feel even more sick than the call for him to face the director. 

He sat there, coffee having long grown cold and listening to the steady tick of the clock on the wall. Each and every second where a killer runs free. He needed to shake himself out of this. He needed to be productive. But he felt stuck, unable to function. His guilt and the thoughts of how he was fucking everything up were preventing him from moving forward. Like chains keeping him firmly locked in place. 

Fuck, he hadn’t even been able to face seeing Hoseok because it meant seeing the consequences of his inadequacy. 

Then there was the Minhyuk thing. Minhyuk was cunning, sly and an excellent liar. He had to be, his street smarts are probably what kept him alive and reasonably safe. That, and his ruthless self preservation instinct. Hyunwoo couldn’t blame him for that. But surely he couldn’t be involved in the murder. He couldn’t see Minhyuk violently beating a man to a broken, bloodied pulp.

On the other hand, with the way he’d seen Minhyuk’s expression change when presented with the photograph of Lee Jooheon, Hyunwoo wouldn’t have considered him capable of hurting the boy. Yet, he witnessed undeniable footage Minhyuk hitting and threatening him and it was entirely possible he’d attacked him with the knife, also. 

At 12:30pm Hyunwoo extracted himself from his chair with agonising difficulty, his leg protesting vehemently. He downed the now ice cold coffee which had sat next to him for the last four hours. He supposed he may as well go and face the music with Director Choi. 

He took himself away to the top floor and made his way through busy corridors until he reached the door at the end of the hallway. The gold letters shining vividly. _Director Choi Seung Hyun._ He was still early so he stood outside, waiting for 1pm. 

A dead on 1pm, he knocked on he door firmly. Pretending to be confident and self assured. 

“Come in!”

Hyunwoo swallowed, took a deep breath and entered. He did his best to hide his nerves, thankfully he could probably blame any inflections in his face on difficulties from his injury. Weight bearing wasn't so painful, it was more when he took steps with that leg. Getting up from sitting or laying down was the worst. The agony had brought tears to his eyes when he’d got up out of bed that morning.

Hyunwoo had been in this office twice before. The last time was when he’d received his promotion and the first had been when he initially joined the unit. It was a large and open space. The walls painted white except for various pieces of unusual art hanging from them, each time he’d been in here the art was different. The desk and chairs were mismatched in their styles, they were the same as last time but different from the first.

“Ah, please take a seat, your leg must be hurting a lot.” Director Choi was a relatively young man, in his early to mid thirties. Young for his position, much like Hyunwoo. 

“Thank you, Sir.” Even though it would hurt more to sit and have to stand agin, he still sat.

“How is Hoseok doing? Have you been to see him?”

“No, Sir. I intend on going tomorrow.” Ah, more guilt. 

“I hear his surgery was at least successful.” Director Choi sat back in his seat. 

“Yes...”

“Look, don’t get yourself down over what happened. However, I do need you to explain why you were both there in the first place. I read through the case notes and there is no mention of that club.” He sat forward again and shuffled through some documents. “I have to explain why you were there to discharge your weapon, you see. Considering a man died and all that. Both you and Hoseok will have to give an official statement on what happened sometime soon, by the way. Just a formality, you know how it is.”

Hyunwoo really didn’t need reminding about that part. “The missing person, Lee Jooheon, was seen apparently selling himself near that area a number of years ago and that was the last recorded sighting of him. It wasn’t really followed up, anyway. So, I decided to take a chance and asked Hoseok to look through some security footage from the area over the days prior to the murder. Just in case Jooheon was still involved in those kinds of activities there. I know it was going out on a limb but we actually got lucky, we saw him outside that club getting into an altercation. I decided to check it out.” He lied. He hated lying. It made everything messy. 

“I only saw that Lee Jooheon’s missing person file had that potential sighting of him around there a few years back.” The director sifted through the papers spread out on his desk. “No mention of the recent security footage.”

“I’m sorry, Sir. I hadn’t yet submitted it to the report.”

“I see. And you didn’t feel it necessary to submit it and request a search warrant?”

“No, I didn’t believe it necessary to obtain a warrant at this stage as the altercation occurred outside the club. I simply wanted to ask around if people had seen Jooheon lately. There was no other cause for a deeper investigation at the time. As for why I didn’t submit it into the formal report, I have no excuse. I’m still adjusting to my new role and neglected to do so. I will, of course, do it immediately.”

The director sat back in his chair, posture slouched and relaxed. “Don’t let the pressure of these new responsibilities get to you. I know it’s hard when there are suddenly so many expectations placed on your shoulders. I myself am considered young to be in my position so I really do understand. Please don’t allow yourself to become disheartened by setbacks, Hyunwoo. Just remember to submit your reports promptly.”

“Thank you Sir. I’m sorry for being remiss in my duties. It won’t happen again.” He’d never had much contact with his superior before but all his interactions had shown the director to be a reasonable man despite some rumoured eccentricities. 

“Well, since that’s all cleared up you’re free to go. Good luck with the rest of the investigation, Hyunwoo.” 

Hyunwoo had to physically catch a pained sound from flying out of his mouth when he stood too quickly. “S-Sorry.” He straightened his posture, letting the pain subside to a bearable level before dipping his head and taking his leave. 

“You can judge the character of a man by how he uses a chair!” He heard the director call as he left. 

What did it say about him? Somebody who sits when told to do so even if it will cause him more pain in the end.

He couldn’t possibly bring himself to sit back at his desk. And so, Hyunwoo spent the next few hours pacing up and down his office, running through timelines and evidence in his mind. 

Minhyuk’s prints outside the vehicle and on the steering wheel. 

Lee Jooheon, blood inside and outside the vehicle. Seriously injured and still missing. Maybe even dead? There were no hospital records of him in the area, a serious injury left untreated could easily result in death. 

Jooheon was last seen getting a blowjob from somebody in an alley and getting into a fight with Minhyuk where a bladed weapon was involved. 

The victim was still nameless. 

They didn’t even have a murder weapon. 

Another person’s prints and DNA inside and outside the vehicle. 

There was the mysterious Mr Kim who seemed more like a ghost they kept missing. He was certainly someone Hyunwoo was interested in talking to. 

Technically Minhyuk was their number one suspect. Not that anyone knew that officially. Only himself, Kihyun, Hyungwon and Hoseok knew. 

He was doubtful Minhyuk would he forthcoming about his involvement. He needed to find Lee Jooheon to connect the pieces and find the identity of the other person involved. 

And most importantly of all, he needed the identity of the victim. 

Scenarios kept running though his head. Each more distasteful than the last. He barely noticed his thigh muscle cramping up angrily from the hours of pacing until he realised there was a wetness clinging to his pants. He touched it and looked at his hand, now stained with red. His leg was bleeding through the dark material. Fuck. 

He grabbed his rucksack from the corner of the office and placed it onto the desk, rummaging for the spare dressings the hospital had given him, unsure if he should be concerned about the amount of bleeding or not. He was almost afraid to look as he carefully peeled down his pants and dropped himself down into the chair. 

The dressing was saturated with blood and half coming unstuck. He lifted it carefully, peering underneath. 

“You shouldn’t be changing your dressing like that. You need to clean it, blood is a perfect medium for infection.” Kihyun was standing in the doorway. Hyunwoo hadn’t even heard the door open. “I’ll bring a first aid kit from the lab.” 

“Oh. Thanks.” He blinked and Kihyun was gone. 

Hyunwoo looked at the clock on the wall. It was already gone 7pm. Where had the time gone? No wonder his leg was bleeding like that, he was supposed to rest it. He tipped his head back and took a deep breath. Everything was going wrong, wasn’t it? He wasn’t cut out for this, he really didn’t deserve this promotion. 

He was happy to hear Kihyun’s voice and see his face, though. He was like a guiding light in the dark. A moment of relief from his downward spiral. 

He waited patiently for the redhead to return with a first aid kit. 

“You look tired, Hyunwoo.” Came that voice again, followed by the door clicking closed. 

He felt tired. Inside and out. But Kihyun also looked tired, he’d probably been working hard while Hyunwoo stewed in his own thoughts. “So do you.”

“Jeez thanks.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Hyunwoo sat upright suddenly, afraid he’d offended him. 

“It’s fine. You’re cute when you’re worried.” Kihyun teased. “I probably do look tired. Cos I kinda am. Wearing overalls in the baking heat and humidity while barking orders at people kinda does that to a person.” A little smirk graced Kihyun’s face. “I do love to bark orders at people, though.”

Kihyun knelt between his legs, glancing up at him briefly before carefully peeling off the dressing the rest of the way. The wound was about six inches long and linear with bruising all around it, held together by ugly looking stitches.

“Did they say when the stitches could come out?” Kihyun looked closely at it. 

“Seven to ten days, depending on how well it heals.” 

“Ah I forgot to bring a box of gloves. I washed my hands, though. And I wont touch it directly. The gloves aren’t even sterile anyway. Is that ok?”

“Yeah.” Hyunwoo nodded. 

“You don’t have hepatitis, right?” Kihyun chuckled to himself as he prepared what he needed. 

“Definitely not.”

“Good.” Kihyun started to clean around the sewn up wound with gauze and saline. “It looks worse than it is, I think. Just kinda inflamed like you haven’t been resting it.” He looked up and quirked an accusatory eyebrow. Busted. 

“Yeah... Sorry.”

Hyunwoo wasn’t looking at his leg, he was too busy being slightly hypnotised by Kihyun. Observing the look of concentration on his face, the way he frowned ever so slightly and squinted a little over the tops of his glasses. The tiny little creases at the corners of his eyes as he did so.

“Are you taking your antibiotics?” Kihyun looked back up at him. 

“Yeah.”

“Your painkillers?”

“Yeah.” Lies. Maybe he’d told enough lies for one day. “No.”

“Why not?” The frown deepened. 

“I don’t know.” Because he felt like he deserved to be in pain. It was nothing compared to what Hoseok was going through. He’d even ended a man’s life in self defence, albeit accidentally. 

“You should take them.” The redhead stuck the new dressing over the injury, letting his fingertips run over the skin lightly, touch lingering. “You have great thighs.” Kihyun’s eyes widened, realising what had just come out of his own mouth.

“Well not anymore, now I’ll have a big scar.” 

“They’ll still be nice thighs.” That devilish little spark of confidence appeared in Kihyun’s pretty eyes as he leaned down and pressed his lips against the warm skin of Hyunwoo’s thigh. “If I kiss it better, will it heal?” His words were spoken in a low hushed tone right against his skin and it sent chills up the older’s spine. 

Hyunwoo had stopped breathing in an instant, feeling warm lips and the tickle of breath against his thigh. Oh god. His mouth was dry again and his pulse sped up. Kihyun was gorgeous and he knew exactly what he was doing. It made Hyunwoo’s mind flashback to the kiss they’d shared before. Was it ok to do it again now? What a wonderful way to distract himself from everything going on around him and what was going on inside his own mind. 

“Kihyun...” 

“Yes?” Kihyun looked up through his eyelashes, lips not moving from his thigh. His tongue leaked out and licked ever so lightly at his skin for a brief moment. 

“Can I kiss you again?”

“I was waiting for you to ask.” Kihyun smirked and stood over him, still standing between Hyunwoo’s legs and that look once again grazing his face like a hawk waiting for a mouse to scurry within reach. “I think I kinda like being taller than you like this.” And with that, he leaned down and captured his lips with his own. 

Right now, if Hyunwoo was a mouse he’d gladly scurry into the open and lay himself out to be plucked up in Kihyun’s sharp talons. Hyunwoo curled his fingers into surprisingly soft strands of colourful hair, letting the other lick into his mouth. Kihyun oozed self assurance, that alone was a quality which he loved. 

He got brave, feeding of the other’s confidence, he decided to push back a little. He nipped at Kihyun’s lower lip and tightened his grip in his hair. It earned a growl from Kihyun and a tightening of the first grabbing the front of his shirt, pushing him back into the chair firmly. Hyunwoo was so goddamn touch starved that he could already feel warmth collecting between his legs. 

“Ah Kihyun I’ll get hard.”

“Just from this?”

“It’s been a while.” He could feel the embarrassment scotching it’s way across his cheeks. 

“You’re pretty stressed, hm?” Kihyun trailed his lips down to Hyunwoo’s jawbone. “Let me release some of your tension.” The hand which wasn’t gripping Hyunwoo’s shirt found it’s way to the waistband of his boxers, pausing as though asking permission. 

“We shouldn’t.” Hyunwoo groaned. 

“Why not?”

He didn’t have an answer for that. Why not indeed. “Ok...” 

“Nothing crazy, wouldn’t want you to strain yourself.” Kihyun smirked a little and rubbed over Hyunwoo’s crotch. “Can I touch you? Just tell me to stop if I make you uncomfortable. Sometimes I need reigning in.”

“Touch me.” Hyunwoo panted, pulling Kihyun back down into another kiss. This time, searing and desperate. Kihyun was like alcohol, making him lose himself in the moment. Reckless, gratifying and causing his head to spin. This was a lot. A lot of everything. 

“I’ll do better than that.” Kihyun licked back into Hyunwoo’s mouth, nipping at his lower lip to exact revenge from when he’d done the same. He took Hyunwoo’s dark hair in his grip, too. Tilting his head back harshly to expose his throat and kissing all down it. But it was over far too quickly as Kihyun pulled away abruptly and dropped back down to his knees. “Let me suck you off.”

“Fuck. Please.” He needed Kihyun. As selfish as it felt. He gasped as Kihyun wasted no time in tugging his underwear down and stroking him to full hardness, not that it took long in his touch-starved state. He could be embarrassed about that later. Right now all he could think about was how he was about to feel Kihyun’s mouth around him. 

“I love that you sound so desperate, Hyunwoo. It drives me crazy, you don’t realise how much I really get off on people wanting me.” Kihyun admitted and licked the head of Hyunwoo’s cock slowly, teasing him. “Beg for my mouth.”

“Please.” The older rasped. “Please give me your mouth. I want it. You look so divine yet so goddamn sinful.”

“So do you. I bet you’d look gorgeous all laid out and begging me to let you fuck me.” 

The very idea of that made Hyunwoo’s cock twitch. “Please Kihyun.” All he could do was beg and curl his fingers into faded red hair, but not daring to push down or pull too harshly right now. All he could do was wait for Kihyun to have mercy on him. 

Kihyun gave a drawn out lick up along the underside of his shaft before taking him into his mouth, eyes fixed upwards on Hyunwoo’s face as he did so. Holy shit, it was intense. 

Hyunwoo bit into his lower lip, trying to keep himself quiet. There was no lock on the office door, anybody could walk in. Not that there were many people around at this time. But still. Maybe that was all part of the thrill, though. 

Kihyun bobbed his head along his cock, tongue paying special attention to the sensitive area just under the head on the upstroke. Every now and again he’d hum or groan and the vibrations would ripple up Hyunwoo’s spine. 

It was just as well Hyunwoo couldn’t really move his hips without his thigh muscles protesting, otherwise he might be tempted to thrust upwards. Instead, he tipped his head back and gripped Kihyun’s hair a little harder. It earned him a warning growl, but part of him liked it. Liked a little bit of push and pull more than he thought he would. 

Heat was steadily building in Hyunwoo’s lower abdomen. He dared to look back down at Kihyun, seeing his pretty lips stretched around his thick shaft and piercing eyes still fixed on him in a stare that could melt through steel. The images melded perfectly with the wet warmth of his mouth and the press of the back of Kihyun’s throat against the head of his dick each time the redhead went down. 

“S-So close.” Hyunwoo managed to pant out, if he had more of his wits about him he would be little embarrassed about his lack of stamina.

Kihyun groaned around him again and it tipped him over the edge, making him spill into Kihyun’s mouth as the younger swallowed his come.

“Ah Kihyun!” He couldn’t remember the last time someone made him come. In fact, he barely even touched himself anymore. The shock of his orgasm left his limbs feeling shaky and unsteady. 

Kihyun licked him clean and tucked him back into his underwear. His hands were shaking a little. “I don’t usually swallow but I didn’t want to make a mess, lucky you.” He stood, leaned over and kissed Hyunwoo lazily, letting him taste himself. “I’ll be back and then we can go pick up a hooker.” 

And like smoke, Kihyun was gone. Leaving Hyunwoo feeling boneless and still sitting there with his pants around his ankles before a single word could leave his mouth. 

......

After their little encounter in the office, Kihyun had to flee to a toilet stall in the lab’s locker room. He’d managed to get himself painfully hard just by sucking Hyunwoo off. It wasn’t that he especially got off on sucking dick, it was the fact he’d made Hyunwoo come so undone. Was that sadistic? He simply craved being wanted and the way the older had begged had gone straight to his dick. Not just that, Hyunwoo had put up a bit of a fight and he fucking loved that. Yeah, he liked to assert control but he didn’t always want it to be too easy.

That was how he found himself shamefully jerking himself off in the toilet stall, focusing on the feeling of Hyunwoo’s thick cock heavy in his mouth and how it would feel stretching out his ass. It almost made him forget how small the stall was. He could have stayed in the office but he didn’t want to put any pressure of reciprocation on Hyunwoo. The poor guy looked stressed enough as it was. He hadn’t planned on ending up with an erection himself.

Once he’d taken care of those sensitive matters, he’d returned to accompany Hyunwoo to the red light district as promised. He had to get his brain back into professional mode now. 

So there he was, cruising around the shitty darkening streets of an area of Seoul he’d never once frequented but Hyunwoo seemed to know like the back of his hand. They didn’t discuss the incident in the office. Hyunwoo was probably embarrassed and Kihyun didn’t want to make him uncomfortable since he was obviously distressed enough about this Minhyuk guy being a potential suspect. 

“There he is.” Hyunwoo pointed to a young man in a red dress. “Pull over and flash your hazards.”

Kihyun did as he was told, looking at the man in the dress. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting Minhyuk to look like, but whatever it was, it wasn’t this. The guy was genuinely beautiful, pretty shapely legs and an elegant face. He could imagine Minhyuk was probably very handsome when presenting himself as a man, also. Kihyun didn’t like the way that made him feel. He watched the beautiful man make his way around to the driver’s side window, obviously expecting there to be a customer to be behind the wheel. 

Actually, on closer inspection, Minhyuk’s eyes made him look completely dead inside. Void of a soul. An empty husk. The false smile was... unsettling. Sad, even.

“Oh Hyunwoo!” The smile lit up into a genuine one. Bright, like the sun. “You brought a friend, he’s cute. But I gotta charge you double if you bring a spectator.” Minhyuk winked and reached to trace his fingertips over Kihyun’s cheek, for some reason it made Kihyun’s blood boil and any sympathy he had dissolved away. “Oh he has such pretty eyes but he looks like he’s gonna bite off my hand. Like one of those cute but kinda snippy little dogs. A Chihuahua?”

“I don’t like strangers pawing at my damn face, that’s why.” Kihyun bristled. So maybe he could work on being a little more diplomatic, sometimes his slight attitude problem would rise to the surface in all it’s ugly glory. Nobody’s perfect, right?

“Hello to you too, Min.” Hyunwoo interjected before Minhyuk could say anything else to piss Kihyun off further. 

“Seriously, who’s the feisty little cutie? I’m the jealous type, y’know.” Minhyuk winked at Hyunwoo but shifted his gaze back to Kihyun. A cold gaze, like he was actually looking down on Kihyun.

“His name is Kihyun. He works with me.” Hyunwoo explained, he seemed awfully familiar with Minhyuk. More so than Kihyun had anticipated. 

“I hate cops.” Minhyuk stood straight, expression guarded and his body language suddenly closed off and rigid. 

“I’m not a cop.” Kihyun cut in. 

“He’s forensics but I can’t drive right now. I was shot in the thigh. He’s a—” half a beat “—friend.”

Minhyuk’s eyes widened. “The shootout behind The Emporium? That was you? Are you ok? I heard a cop got pretty fucked up.”

“Yeah. Hoseok was injured a lot worse. But he’s doing pretty good, all things considered. It was just my thigh.”

Minhyuk relaxed a little. “I’m sorry, I hope he’s alright... So what can I do for you gentlemen? Business or pleasure?”

“Can you get in the car so we can talk properly?” Hyunwoo asked grimly, looking away from Minhyuk. He must really care about this guy. 

Minhyuk looked obviously suspicious. “Ok. But I’m not sitting in the back. Bad memories blah blah blah. Your little redhead Chihuahua can sit in the back.”

“Excuse me? This is my car.” Kihyun was honestly doing his best not to speak so harshly but this guy was really rubbing him up the wrong way. As well as that, he was tired. So fucking tired. It made his fuse pretty short. He hadn’t slept properly since before moving back to Seoul and the exhaustion in his aching body was starting to permeate into his mental state. 

“Please Kihyun?” Hyunwoo placed a hand on his knee, making his heart flutter just a little. 

“Fuck sake.” Kihyun rolled his eyes and took the keys out of the ignition, climbing awkwardly into the back seat so he wouldn’t have to bother getting out of the car, almost kicking Hyunwoo in the face in the process.

“Oh the cutie isn’t very graceful, is he?” Minhyuk opened the door and slid into the front seat, giggling icily to himself. He tugged the hem of his dress down his bare, bruised thighs as he settled himself. 

Kihyun was about to point out that he had a name and it was not _Cutie_ but stopped himself when his eyes caught the healing bruises.

Hyunwoo took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m gonna cut to the chase, Min... we have your fingerprints at the crime scene where we found the body and Lee Jooheon’s blood.” 

Minhyuk’s face drained of all it’s colour in an instant. 

“And we also have footage of you outside The Emporium having an argument with Jooheon and someone else. You hit Jooheon and you pulled a knife on him.” Hyunwoo continued. 

Minhyuk sat silently. 

“I need you to come in for formal interrogation.” 

“No. Hell no!” Minhyuk moved a hand to the door but Hyunwoo placed a hand firmly on his shoulder. “I’m not arresting you. I’m giving you the chance to make a voluntary statement.”

“I’m not going with you!” Minhyuk slapped the hand away. 

“Please, Min... I’m begging you. I don’t want to have to arrest you and I want to believe you have nothing to hide...”

“You think I did something to Jooheon? You think I killed that guy?” Minhyuk hissed. 

“No... I don’t know... but if there really isn’t anything for you to hide then come submit a statement.”

Minhyuk’s eyes filled with tears as he swallowed back a welling up of emotions. “You wouldn’t understand. Please don’t do this.” That coldness was gone. Leaving behind only fear and a desperate kind of sadness. 

“If I need to bring you in myself we might have to keep you for 72 hours, depending on how forthcoming you are and what you have to say. If you’re worried about your sister I’ll make sure she’s looked after like before. Even if I have to go do it myself.”

Minhyuk looked conflicted. “Is Jooheon still missing?”

“Yeah.” 

Minhyuk let out another sob. “All I ever did was try to help him.”

“Min... why didn’t you just tell me everything before? Why would you lie to me?”

“Because you’d have brought me in and I was afraid Jooheon might have gotten caught up in something ugly. I didn’t want to implicate him because he’s a good kid really...” Minhyuk sniffled and wiped away the tears which escaped down his cheeks. “If only you knew how much I care about that kid. I was just angry that night because I tried to protect him but he just did stupid shit anyway. H-He threw my kindness and concern back in my face. I-I was just hurt.” He took a moment to suck in a few shuddering breaths. “Is there really no sign of him? Do you think he’s worse off than just injured?”

“I don’t know... but if you help me I’ll be able to find him. I promise.” Hyunwoo cautiously placed his hand back on Minhyuk’s shoulder. Softer and more soothing this time. “I’m sorry... you understand I have to do this, right?”

Minhyuk nodded slowly. “I will come... but I need to make sure things will be taken care of at home first.”

“Ok.”

“Hyunwoo, you can’t just let him go and expect him to show up for questioning!” Kihyun interjected.

“I trust him, Kihyun...” He really still trusted Minhyuk after all this? After all the lies?

“Pass on my regards to Hoseok.” The prostitute straightened up his posture and checked his makeup in the visor mirror. “Now, unless either of you wanna pay me for more of my time I’m gonna go because bills gotta be paid.” His demeanour completely changed again, back to a harsh and almost mocking tone. 

“You’re hopeless.” Kihyun scoffed as he clambered back into the front seat. 

“I like that you’re honest about your opinions.”

“Call it how I see it.” Kihyun shrugged, inserting the key back into the ignition. 

Hyunwoo looked like he was going to say something else, but it never came and Kihyun wasn’t going to push it. 

_________________  
_________________

**Tuesday. 7th August. 2018.**

The door was tentatively pushed open and Hoseok propped himself up straighter in his hospital bed. 

“Hello Hoseok. You’re looking well. I’m glad, sorry I couldn’t come yesterday or earlier today. There were a lot of clients to get through and I would have been here sooner but I had to take public transport which is something I rarely do. As you know. It was too stressful so I got off a few stations early and walked the rest of the way.” Hyungwon rambled and sat in the chair next to Hoseok’s bedside. 

“What? You don’t have to do all that to come see me.” Hoseok frowned. Public transportation must be hell for Hyungwon. Busy and noisy. 

“But I want to see you. I never thought I would find myself sitting in my lab and thinking it seems empty.” The younger mused. 

“Please at least take a cab home. I’ll pay for it.”

“I don’t take cabs alone in case the cab driver decides to rob, murder or rape me.” Hyungwon stated simply. 

“I don’t want you wandering around at night alone, either. Surely that’s even more dangerous.” Hoseok argued. 

“I’m actually a very fast runner.” He peered at the medical charts. “May I look?”

“Of course. You can tell me how I’m doing.”

Hyungwon took a few minutes to look through the charts in detail, pushing his glasses back up his nose at least twice. “You no longer require inotropes to maintain your blood pressure and your body is recovering well. Kidney function is not too bad, they say the kidneys are the window to the body because they’re usually a good indicator of how the rest of your body is functioning.”

“Ahh you should have been a doctor.” Hoseok smiled softly at the sight of the pathologist adjusting his glasses again. 

“I am a doctor.” Hyungwon did that little thing where his eyes flicked wildly up and down somebody when he was trying to work out if it was him or them who was missing something. So cute. Hoseok loved it. 

“No, I mean like a medical doctor. For actual living people.”

“Ah. Yes, my grandparents used to say that to me but you have to be an effective communicator to be a physician and somebody who can deal with pressure. Besides, I love my job. I like that I can speak for someone who can no longer speak for themselves, that I can do them the honour of discovering what happened to silence them. Also, dead people are easier to understand because they don’t lie and they don’t have any expectations.” He paused, biting his lip and slipping off his glasses to fiddle with them, busying his hands. 

At that moment. there was a quiet knock at the door before it opened and Hyunwoo appeared through it. “Hey. Sorry if I’m interrupting.”

Hyungwon quickly placed his glasses back onto his face. “Not at all. I was going to go and fetch some tea from the cafe on level three. Would you both like me to bring you some?”

“I would literally die for tea. Water is so boring.” Hoseok was genuinely sick of jugs of water. 

“I’m good. Thank you Hyungwon.” Hyunwoo limped over to the bedside. 

“I shan’t be too long.” Hyungwon nodded and swept himself out of the room, leaving them alone. 

“Your leg looks painful, are you ok?” Hoseok watched the way his friend struggled slightly to walk.

“Please don’t waste your concern on me. I’m so sorry I let this happen to you, Hoseok. Please forgive me.”

“What? No, don’t be stupid. I should have run faster. This isn’t your fault. Without you I would have probably died.”

“No, without me you wouldn’t have even been there.” Hyunwoo cast his eyes down. 

“Without you I’d have probably been killed back when that guy pulled a butcher knife on me when I was trying to arrest him a few years back.” Hyunwoo had tackled the guy, ending up getting sliced across the back. It was a superficial but sizeable laceration. 

“Doesn’t mean I should drag you into dangerous situations on the word of unreliable sources... sources as unreliable as I am, it seems.”

“You aren’t unreliable!” Hoseok winced at the pain shooting through his rib cage at the effort of raising his voice. “You’re the most reliable person I know!”

“Then why didn’t you want to tell me about that footage of Minhyuk?!”

Hoseok froze for a moment. “How... how did you...”

“Hyungwon told me and he showed me the video. You’ll be glad to know I confronted Minhyuk about it but you’ll be disappointed and unsurprised that I didn’t bring him in for questioning. I gave him an ultimatum to present himself to the investigation voluntarily.”

“Hyunwoo...”

“I know I’m a trusting idiot. Even Minhyuk himself has said I’m not cut out for this. But if he doesn’t show up I will go and get him in handcuffs. He won’t run, he can’t.”

“You have a good heart and if everyone had a heart like yours we would be out of a job.”

Hyunwoo looked defeated. It hurt to see his friend this way. 

“Hey, what are they gonna do with my little protégé?” Hoseok tried to change the subject. 

“I think I saw in an email they’ll keep him with local enforcement for now until your return or—”

“Or until my position is filled?” Hoseok finished the sentence for him. 

“No, I—”

“I’m not stupid. I know my shoulder is gonna be pretty fucked. Just don’t know how fucked it’s gonna be, yet.” It was just reality he could lose his job or be redistributed to some desk in the corner of a dark room somewhere. But he was alive and that’s what mattered in the end. 

“I don’t know what to say...”

“It’s ok.” Hoseok sighed. “Hey, could you give Hyungwon a ride home? He came here on public transport and it kinda freaks him out and I don’t really want him wandering about the city alone at night.”

“I’m sure Kihyun won’t mind dropping him home on his way. I’m not able to drive right now.”

“Oh quality time with Kihyun?” Hoseok waggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

Hyunwoo cracked a smile. “Well actually... we kissed... a couple of times.”

“Oh my god, check you out!” Hoseok grinned. 

“And he might have given me a blowjob... but I probably only lasted like a minute. It was kind of embarrassing if I’m honest.”

“Holy shit Hyunwoo. God, you need to ask him out so it doesn’t all fizzle out.”

“He probably won’t want to...”

“Take it from me, life is too short. I even asked Hyungwon out and he said yes.”

Hyunwoo smiled again. “Finally. You two are so cute, it’s almost offensive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, had to give a certain someone a little cameo in here. Thought unlike in Box of Frogs I’d give him some lines this time haha! Couldn’t resist!
> 
> As for my current personal situation I’m feeling pretty ok the last couple of days. Just been a little frustrated and somewhat up n down. Thank you all for your kind words of support on the last chapter and concerning the slight delay on the previous chapter also. It’s very much appreciated and I’m so touched by your kindness. 
> 
> _____
> 
> NEXT TIME: _ “I have the identity of the victim.” _
> 
> Oh and come say hi on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/TheClamp2) ! :D If anyone chooses to follow me I’ll of course follow back. I post updates and also some extra visual content for fics (and sometimes photos of my cat…).


	7. Sleepless Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kihyun and Hyunwoo get some of their feelings out and there’s finally a break in the case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for a character making a statement eluding to possible suicidal thoughts.

**Friday 10th August. 2018.**

Kihyun was meticulous in his work. Never in his career had he missed even the finest of details, that’s what made him so good at what he did. Now, that kind of track record didn’t come without a lot of all nighters in the lab and not remembering to sleep or eat until his body just simply gave in. He’d just get so task-focused that he would just forget to fulfil his body’s basic needs to sustain life. Time seemed to pass by without him and his mind and body often felt like completely separate systems. It was an affliction which had plagued him for as long as he could remember. Always restless and focused yet unfocused at the same time and cursing his body for not being able to run eternally like some kind of perpetual motion machine. 

In a way, it served him well. It allowed him to achieve academically all his life and rise through the ranks in his work. He was a high achiever because he was far more able to sacrifice everything for whatever goal he was working towards. Only, it was to the detriment of his health. He kept promising himself he'd slow down. That he’d stop and take better care of himself because his lifestyle was hardly a sustainable one. One day he wouldn’t have the advantage of youth on his side and would probably send himself to an early grave. There was probably a heart attack or massive stroke looming in his future at this rate, honestly. 

Right now he was working through a mountain of forensic processing from The Emporium. But there was something else occupying his mind other than the read outs from the DNA sequencing machine. Namely, Hyunwoo. 

God, Kihyun couldn’t believe he’d actually sucked Hyunwoo off in his office like that. Why couldn’t he control himself? The devil in him had taken over and Hyunwoo had played into everything which turns Kihyun on. Being wanted. Needed. Excitement. Someone coming to him and not having to do the chasing himself. Kihyun never did the chasing. But then there was the fact Hyunwoo hadn’t been entirely complicit to simply sit there and receive. There was an element of push and pull there and it teased at something Kihyun also loved... when somebody eventually stopped relenting and put him in his place. But he wouldn’t give up control easily, they’d have to earn it. He could being that out of Hyunwoo, he was sure. Break through that shy outer shell and reveal whatever was underneath. 

Fuck. There was so much more to whatever was going on with Hyunwoo than that, though. Kihyun had this inexplicable need to see him smile and be happy. Compared to how he was when they first me, Hyunwoo was like someone switched off the light inside him and Kihyun wanted to see it switched on again. See that stupid dopey smile of the man who took him out in a squad car illegally. He wanted to hear that carefree laugh again. 

Did the kiss in the hospital mean anything? And what happened in the office? Or was it supposed to be nothing? He wasn’t even sure of his own intentions at the time, being easily caught in the moment. Except, a big part of Kihyun really wanted it to be something. But that’s how he always felt before he would lose interest. The difference between Hyunwoo and anybody else he’d ever been with, even his recent ex, was that he really fucking desperately didn’t want to lose interest this time. Hyunwoo ignited a feeling in him which was different to the standard sense of want Kihyun was accustomed to feeling. 

He tried to re-focus his attention to his work. 

Except... he couldn’t. His brain was too busy flying around and he needed something to focus his attention on. The numbers on a screen were far too mind numbing at this point. A lost cause. 

So, he picked up his phone and messaged Hyunwoo. 

**Kihyun 8:23pm**  
_Did you get home safe on the subway?_

Yeah, that sounded like a legit thing to text somebody without sounding weird. 

**Hyunwoo 8:23pm**  
_Don’t know yet, I’m still at work. Didn’t realise how late it was._

This wasn’t even late by Kihyun’s standards. 

**Kihyun 8:24pm**  
_Still here, too :( _

**Hyunwoo 8:25pm**  
_My stomach is growling at me, I really should get home and eat something and get some sleep. You should get some rest, too. _

**Kihyun 8:25pm**  
_Ah, another dull sandwich awaiting you at home? That’s all I ever see you eating._

**Hyunwoo 8:27pm**  
_I wish. Probably convenience store instant-something._

Kihyun bit his lower lip as he typed and sent his next message. 

**Kihyun 8:27pm**  
_That’s gross and unhealthy. I have a batch of real food I made yesterday. I’ll give you a ride and you can either take some home with you or eat with me. Up to you._

That wasn’t too forward, was it? Kihyun was a pretty forward guy and he was very aware it was sometimes too much. It wasn’t pushy to half invite someone for dinner at your place, right? He nervously watched the typing icon at the bottom of the screen, the suspense killing him. 

**Hyunwoo 8:30pm**  
_Sure, I can’t turn down food. Thank you. When you leaving?_

Kihyun wanted to say right now, but he should probably calm down a little. “C’mon, Yoo. Chill your grill.” He said to himself out loud. 

**Kihyun 8:30pm**  
_9? See you in the parking lot? I’m on B1 W_  
_Also, you’re welcome. Wouldn’t want you getting scurvy or something from malnutrition._

**Hyunwoo 8:31pm**  
_Alrighty!_

Alrighty? Oh how incredibly fucking endearing. Kihyun rolled his eyes and smiled to himself as he sat back in his chair. 

This was stupid, though. Kihyun was smart. Extremely smart. Smart enough to know he should just go home and sleep because his body was begging for rest. Yet he was dumb enough to ignore his body’s warnings. 

He pulled off his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes. Fuck. Now that he was paying attention, his head was killing him. Probably dehydration. 

He looked over to his almost full bottle of water and yeah, definitely dehydration. So he quickly drank the lukewarm water before pulling off his lab coat and tossing it over one of the hooks by the door. He ignored the pain in his joints and muscles as he picked up his backpack and slung it over his aching shoulder on the way out.

———

Hyunwoo stuffed his phone back into his pocket. He probably shouldn’t be distracting himself with Kihyun. Whatever was going on between them was confusing and added an extra layer to the mountain of worries playing on his mind. 

He should probably take the opportunity to get things straightened out between them in that regard. 

Hyunwoo finished reading through the transcript of the statement Uniform had collected from one of the many girls working at The Emporium. It was just as inconsistent as all the others he had read. Intimidation and fear was more likely to be the cause rather than so many people having something to hide. Whatever the reason, they were being cagey about everything. Not that he was surprised at that. 

Hyunwoo had enough for one day. The computer screen was starting to make his vision go fuzzy, anyway. His leg was starting to feel better now that the inflammation was easing but standing after being sat down for a long period of time still hurt like hell. He could probably start driving again pretty soon, at least.

He made his way to the parking lot to wait for Kihyun, finding the other man already there. 

“Hey, thanks again for the kind offer of food. You don’t know how grateful I am.” Hyunwoo admitted.

“Ah shut the fuck up, it’s really not a problem. I make myself eat properly when I remember to because other than that I’m not very good at living a healthy lifestyle. May as well feed you up, too.” Kihyun started walking over to his car. 

“It’s still very kind of you. I was never this bad but the pressure is kinda making everything else take a back seat lately.” Hyunwoo admitted as he followed the redhead. 

“How’s the investigation anyway?” Kihyun asked, unlocking his car and climbing in after tossing his backpack into the back seat.

“I’m still waiting on Minhyuk to come in and I’m still looking through all the statements from the employees at The Emporium. Every time they’re asked about Mr Kim they give me a different story as to when he was last seen and same for Jooheon.” Hyunwoo climbed into the passenger seat. 

“Seems very suspicious.”

“It is, but I’m not really sure what to make of it just yet. Nobody can tell me either of their whereabouts which is equally suspicious. Nobody apparently witnessed the altercation between Jooheon, the other person and Minhyuk, either. Some said they vaguely recognised Jooheon but the other person’s face isn’t really visible on the tape so nobody could identify him. Or they just didn’t want to.”

Kihyun pulled out of the parking lot and peeled out into the street. “Inconsistent statements usually mean people know more than they’re letting on, right?”

“They’re probably afraid. Considering what was going on in that place.”

“Yeah, tell me ‘bout it! We’re currently flooded with all the evidence gathered from that place. I have the fraud, narcotics and firearms departments all on my back wanting results. Hell, I even have Interpol sniffing at the door. I swear to god they were up to pretty much any illegal activity you can think of in that place. Drugs, prostitution, illegal gambling, firearms and money laundering. Fucking thousands of documents to check for prints and submit for handwriting analysis, some whole but most of them shredded up.”

“Shit. Anything for me?” Hyunwoo asked hopefully. 

“Probably, but you’ll have to wait probably a few more days because there’s just so much shit to process through. I’m not even the only one who’s been pulling all nighters.”

“Sorry, I don’t mean to be on your back, too.”

“You’re too apologetic.”

“Sorry.” Hyunwoo only said it to try and be funny. 

Kihyun burst out laughing. “Shut the fuck up.”

“Yessir.” Hyunwoo couldn’t help the smile tugging at his lips, Kihyun had such a nice laugh. It was like music to his ears. 

“Ah, I like men who do what I say.” Kihyun teased. 

Hyunwoo was about to say he liked being told what to do. But maybe that admission was pushing things too far. After all, he wasn’t sure where he stood right now. 

A natural, comfortable silence followed until Kihyun pulled into his apartment building’s underground parking lot. “You may as well come in and eat with me...”

Hyunwoo swallowed a sudden lump in his throat, a little nervous. “I don’t want to inconvenience you more than I already am.”

“Honestly... it’ll be nice to share a meal with somebody.” Kihyun looked down. “It would make me feel less alone.” That revelation sounded... vulnerable. Like Kihyun was an animal showing it’s belly, displaying it’s weakness. It was unlike him, it felt intimate in a way. 

“Well I’ll have to repay you for the meal at least.”

“Only if it’ll stop the guilt eating you alive.” God, Kihyun really had him figured out, huh? “You can buy me lunch from that coffee shop next week.”

“Deal.”

They headed up to the 23rd floor, Kihyun lamenting that he missed his apartment in Busan because it was only three floors off the ground and now he hated waiting for the elevator. Apparently 23 floors was too much to take the stairs. Hyunwoo could relate, he was on the 30th floor of his building. He used to sometimes take the stairs as some sort of personal challenge to himself or race Hoseok up there. Not for the last year or so, though. 

Kihyun’s apartment was pretty minimalistic. Clean and tidy without many personal items around but the air conditioning made for a pleasant environment in comparison with the stuffy summer night air outside. Hyunwoo slipped off his shoes as he entered, peering around the place. 

“I know it’s boring but I didn’t really wanna move a load of stuff all the way across the country so I just took the bare minimum.” Kihyun explained, catching Hyunwoo looking at the place. “Make yourself at home, I guess.”

“My place looks so untidy next to this.” Hyunwoo chuckled nervously, growing a little more ashamed of the ever expanding pile of laundry in the corner of his bedroom. He should really do something about that. 

“Drink?” The redhead offered. 

“I wish, but I’m still on antibiotics.”

“It’s actually a myth that you can’t drink while taking antibiotics. You can drink on the most common ones. What did they give you?”

“Uh F-something-cillin?”

“Flucloxacillin? Yeah, you’re fine to drink on that one, FYI.”

“Seriously?” Hyunwoo kind of wished Kihyun hadn’t told him that because his excuse to himself not to drink every night after he got home was now very much out the window. 

“Yep. So drink?”

“Nah, it’s fine.” He really probably shouldn’t. He says stupid things when he’s drinking. 

Kihyun shrugged. “I’ll ask you again later.” He padded to the kitchen and removed a large plastic container from the fridge. “I hope you like Thai massaman curry.” He called behind him. 

“I’ve never had it but I’m sure it’s great.” Hyunwoo perched himself at the breakfast bar and watched Kihyun dispense some of the food into a pan to re-heat it and start to measure out rice and water. The younger was cute when he was concentrating. He’d frown a little and purse his lips adorably. God, those lips were really messing with him now that Hyunwoo not only knew what they felt like on his own but also what they felt like on his dick. 

He was practically getting flashbacks to that blowjob and he knew he was being awkward. 

“You seem uncomfortable.” Kihyun said suddenly, standing up straight after switching on the rice cooker and reducing the heat under the curry. “In fact you were off with me in the cafeteria yesterday, too. Is it because of the blowjob?”

Busted. “I’m sorry, I don’t really know how to... I guess I just don’t know how I should act now?”

“However you want. It doesn’t have to be anything if you don’t want it to.”

Hyunwoo thought about what Hoseok had said to him. Life really was too short. Cruel and short. “I... when we first met I had such a crush on you, Kihyun. You were fun and interesting and cute. I mean, I basically stole a squad car for you so that much should have been obvious.” He laughed at his younger self. “And when I spotted you again at that scene... it all kinda came flooding back but apparently I’m just emotionally illiterate.”

Kihyun cocked his head. “Would you still steal a squad car for me, Hyunwoo?” Kihyun fixed his gaze on the other. Really he was asking if that meant Hyunwoo wanted it to mean something, and Hyunwoo knew it. 

“Probably.” Hyunwoo looked up at him. “I like you but I don’t know what this thing between us is to you. It’s a little confusing. I don’t know if it’s just fun to you or rebound from your ex or... more? I don’t know where I stand and I feel like I probably have no right to expect or hope for anything from you.”

“I’m attracted to you and I feel... some sort of way towards you.” He took a deep breath and crossed the kitchen to stand in front of Hyunwoo. The fact the older was perched on the barstool style seat made them around the same height. “A way which is not superficial, which is rare for me. This definitely isn’t rebound, just making that clear.”

“Some sort of way.” Hyunwoo parroted back to him. 

“You may be emotionally illiterate but I’m a little emotionally stunted.” Kihyun cracked a defeated looking smile.

“What a pair.”

“Just know,” Kihyun leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss to Hyunwoo’s lips. “This isn’t meaningless to me. _You_ aren’t meaningless to me.” Another gentle kiss. “But we can stop it if you want. If you’d regather we be friends or just colleagues.”

“I don’t want to stop it.” Even though he wasn’t sure where the destination was, or even the route it was taking. He didn’t want to stop. 

“Good.” And with that, Kihyun whipped himself away to stir the curry. “Say, I could really do with a drink right now so wanna save me from being the designated driver and stay the night?”

“Uhhh...”

Kihyun glanced over his shoulder and burst out laughing. “No pressure, Hyunwoo. I, not gonna like, take advantage of. Your face is so red. Such a dirty mind you must have! Filthy filthy boy.”

“No!” God, Hyunwoo could feel his face burn even redder. 

Seeing the officer so flustered caused Kihyun to laugh so hard that he snorted and instantly covered his face, now also embarrassed. “Oh god.”

“Did you just snort?” Hyunwoo laughed. 

“Shut the fuck up!”

That only made him laugh even more. “You tell me to shut the fuck up a lot, I just realised.” Hyunwoo’s sides were hurting from laughing now. It felt good to let laughter bubble over for once. His worries a distant and almost nonexistent concern in the moment. 

“And I’ll do it again.” The sticky, uncomfortable tension was gone between them now, the air clear and breathable. 

They ate together, teasing and joking easily. After Hyunwoo had finished praising Kihyun’s cooking abilities, that is. Even though Kihyun argued that Hyunwoo probably has low standards since he lives off fake convenience store food and dull sandwiches. Fair point, but Hyunwoo still knew good food when he tasted it. 

“Smart, cute and a good cook.” Hyunwoo mused. 

“I usually take offence to being called cute and you’ve done it twice tonight. But since it’s you, I’ll let it slide.” He ate a mouthful of rice, his cheeks puffing out a little like a hamster. “How is Hoseok, by the way?”

“He’s doing well. I visited yesterday and almost a heart attack because Hyungwon was standing in the corner covered in blankets like a bad ghost costume. I didn’t notice him at first and so when he moved I almost jumped out of my skin.”

Kihyun snorted. “Ugh he’s so weird.”

“Apparently he’d had an especially traumatic rush hour Seoul metro experience and needed to calm down.”

“Ok so that I can relate to. Tried it and hated it. Hence I’m back to driving to and from work. I forgot how much busier Seoul was. Difference is, he probably hates it because of the people and the noise, all the sensory overload. I just hate it because it’s so crowded, I’m really claustrophobic. I don’t get how being in a small space or covering his face can calm him down, it’s my personal hell.”

“You’re claustrophobic?”

“Yeah. Not as in... not liking enclosed stances or feeling uncomfortable. We’re talking full on panic attack claustrophobia.”

Hyunwoo couldn’t imagine Kihyun being like that. It was so far from the mental image he’d built of the younger man. “Seriously? Wow.”

“Isn’t there anything you’re terrified of?”

Failure. The pain of people he cared about. “Spiders?”

“Well remind me not to call you next time there’s a spider in my bedroom.”

“Ah, for you I’d face my arachnophobia.” Hyunwoo grinned. 

Kihyun laughed, pretty and musical. “Usually I don’t mind a little fear, it’s exciting.” He fixed his heavy gaze on Hyunwoo. 

Kihyun was certainly exciting in a world which seemed to have lost it’s excitement. “Done eating? I’ll wash the dishes. Don’t even argue.” Hyunwoo said quickly before Kihyun could object. He could be jet as stubborn when he wanted it be.

“Sure. You can come over more often if you do chores.” Kihyun propped his head up on his hands as Hyunwoo took the plates over to the sink. 

“Well, thank you for the meal.” Hyunwoo glanced back just in time to catch Kihyun with his eyes closed. He noticed the younger looked especially exhausted, shadows having set themselves under his eyes. He could relate. So, he carried on washing the dishes as quietly as possible in case the redhead had fallen asleep. 

There was something pleasantly domestic about all this. It was a foreign feeling, one Hyunwoo didn’t feel at all entitled to. Maybe he should just enjoy it. Live selfishly for once. 

Suddenly, there were arms coiling around him from behind and body heat against his back. “Ki?”

“Duh. Who else?” Kihyun kissed the back of his neck. 

“An overly friendly burglar? You’re making it hard for me to scrub this pan, though.”

“Leave it. I’ll do it in the morning.” Kihyun murdered against his ear. 

Fuck. “Sure you don’t want to wait for me to finish?”

“I don’t like waiting.” Kihyun loosened his grip enough for Hyunwoo turn around and place wet hands on his waist. 

“Thought you weren’t going to take advantage of me.” The older teased. 

“Maybe I’m a liar.” Kihyun stood up on his tiptoes a little and placed a kiss to Hyunwoo’s lips before asking, “Is this ok? Tell me if I’m out of order.”

“As long as this isn’t nothing.” Because yes. Hyunwoo needed it to be something. Desperately. If he was going to let himself feel this way then it had to be mutual. 

The younger brought their lips together again, tenderly at first but with a surging flare of heat soon following. Despite his smaller stature, Kihyun pressed Hyunwoo further against the kitchen counter, fingers desperately scratching for purchase on the soft material of his shirt. “It’s not nothing.” Kihyun breathed raggedly against his lips and licked into Hyunwoo’s mouth, making him melt in the heat. 

They were both already panting when, without warning, Hyunwoo picked Kihyun up like he weighed nothing and sat him up on the kitchen counter. The redhead’s hands blazed a sizzling trail along the bare skin of his back as they found their way up under his shirt. 

“Ki...” Hyunwoo groaned, letting Kihyun drag his lips down his neck, tugging his shirt collar to expose the nape of his neck. He felt teeth threaten to bite and fuck, did he want them to bite. So he squeezed Kihyun’s thigh firmly, hoping to prompt the desired response. 

And Kihyun delivered, sinking his teeth into the junction between neck and shoulder, giving a little growl again like the last time. It made the older’s head swim. Fuck that growl. 

Kihyun licked sucked gently at the spot he’d bitten. As he did so, Hyunwoo could feel the smaller man’s body start to relax against him all the way until he’d stopped his actions and had gone almost completely limp against him. Just barely clinging to Hyunwoo’s body.

“Ki?” No response. Hyunwoo quickly realised that Kihyun had actually fallen asleep. 

Fuck, he must have been so exhausted. 

Carefully, he lifted Kihyun off the counter, being sure not to jolt him awake. He carried him across the room, trying to work out which door would lead to Kihyun’s bedroom. The first one he picked was wrong, the bathroom. By process of elimination the other would surely be the bedroom. 

Hyunwoo opened the door and went inside without turning on the light, really not wanting to wake the sleeping man as he carefully lay him down on the bed. That was the plan, but he ended up dropping Kihyun to the mattress a little roughly when the muscle in his thigh cramped up in protest of the extra weight it was bearing. He even over balanced land half on top of a discombobulated Kihyun for good measure. 

Kihyun grunted as he hit the mattress, being jolted awake and scrambling up the bed a little when Hyunwoo landed on him but was unable to get far with the taller man’s weight on him. 

“Sorry, I tried not to wake you.” Hyunwoo apologised, shifting his weight to the side so as not to squish the life out of Kihyun. 

“Not doing a great job of that.” Kihyun quipped before the realisation he’d fallen asleep dawned on him. “I should be the one apologising. Oh god. I can’t believe I fell asleep during a make out session!” Kihyun covered his face and even in the dim light, Hyunwoo could tell he was blushing deeply. 

“It’s ok, you’re obviously tired.” It was actually pretty cute. 

“I’ll stay awake, you can still have me. I-I can suck you off again or I’ll let you fu—”

Hyunwoo silenced him by peppering his face with a series of small kisses. “Sshh.” He stroked his fingers through soft strands of coloured hair gently. “Let’s just sleep, hm?”

“Don’t you wanna—”

“I want you to rest.” Hyunwoo cut him off. 

“I’m sorry...” Kihyun hid his face against Hyunwoo’s shoulder, curling into him. The surface of his confident veneer cracking again to tease the vulnerability underneath, it made Hyunwoo’s heart ache. “I feel like I’m dying. I’ve barely slept for... weeks? Everything hurts... I’ll make it up to you.” His voice sounded small.

“Sshhh sleep.”

There was no further response from Kihyun, he had lapsed into sleep. Hyunwoo shifted carefully into a more comfortable position so as not to jostle the sleeping man too much. 

Kihyun looked so adorable while he slept. Lips slightly parted and all the harshness in his features softened out. He was beautiful. Well, Kihyun was always beautiful. It’s just now he was a different kind of beautiful. Soft and unguarded, it felt like peering into his soul. 

Something about it weighed heavily in Hyunwoo’s chest and he wasn't entirely sure what exactly to do with that feeling. It was a warm and pleasant weight. Just... strange. Unfamiliar but by no means bad. 

_________________  
_________________

**Saturday 11th August. 2018.**

“I’m sorry but you can’t just walk in here like this, Sir.” 

“Listen here, sweetie. I see you have yet to hit puberty so why don’t you just call up Hyunwoo and tell him I’m here and then you can let the grownups talk, ‘kay?” 

Kihyun was heading out to get a coffee when he heard the young officer at the front desk arguing with a grimly familiar voice. When he looked, it took a few seconds to recognise the man. Of course, it was Minhyuk. He was starting to believe Minhyuk had run and wasn’t going to come and give his statement. Maybe he hadn’t given this guy enough credit. 

However, in line with Kihyun’s other prediction, Minhyuk was indeed incredibly handsome when he wasn’t wearing a wig and a dress. 

“If you have information relating to a current investigation please fill out this form or attend your local station wi—”

“I’m not filling out any stupid forms, kid.” Minhyuk interrupted him and leaned over to read the young man’s name tag. “Look, Officer Jeon, I said I’d come talk to him and that’s what I’m here for. He works on level three. Homicide.”

So Minhyuk even knew what level of the building Hyunwoo worked on? Why?

Kihyun had enough. He marched over to the desk, eyeing the man dressed in tight faded jeans, a loose hanging yellow hoodie and worn out dirty converses with holes in. “Lee Minhyuk, right?” 

“Oh we meet again, it’s the chihuahua! You can vouch for me, right?” Minhyuk gave a sunshine smile. 

“I can. But you can’t just come in here and start disrespecting an officer of he law. I think you should apologise to Officer Jeon.”

Minhyuk stepped closer to Kihyun, right into his personal space. “I don’t apologise to cops.” He had this smirk on his face which Kihyun just hated. That and the way Minhyuk was standing so close was making him feel closed in. 

“Please fill out the forms provided and take a seat.” He bit. 

“Look, I’ll just call Son Hyunwoo’s office and see what he says.” Officer Jeon tried to keep the peace. 

“Good boy.” Minhyuk smiled sweetly at the young man before turning his attention back to Kihyun. 

“I hope you’re going to tell him everything.” Kihyun warned. 

“Bet you can’t wait to swab me for DNA. You’ll have to forgive me, I’m not used to people being jealous of me. It’s fun.”

“Jealous? I’m not jealous.” Kihyun snorted indignantly. 

“I know envy when I see it. You want a piece of Hyunwoo, right? I don’t blame you, Sister. He’s gorgeous.” Minhyuk giggled. “Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll get the D someday.” He patted the top of Kihyun’s head. 

“Yeah? well I already got it.” Oh god. Did he really just say that? He clapped a hand over his own mouth as though he could cram the words back in. 

Minhyuk cocked an eyebrow. “Oh really?”

“Um Mr Lee? He said he’s coming down now.” The young duty officer interrupted, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation unfolding in front of him. 

“Thank you, sweetie. You’re such a sweetie.” Minhyuk smiled at the young man again. “Forgive me for being a little testy before?” He pouted. 

“You really are something, huh? I’m sorry for your situation and I know your life is hard but it’s no excuse for being an ass. You’re a suspect, you need to watch your tongue.” Kihyun knew he should leave it be but he really didn’t let things go easily. 

“Darling, you have no idea what hard is.” That emptiness was back in his eyes. “I have nothing to my name but my body and even that isn’t mine half the time.” The trailed his fingertips delicately down Kihyun’s face, his touch a little cold despite the summer heat. “Hard is going to bed with the hope you won’t wake up because surely it’s better than facing another day letting disgusting people who think you’re dirt stick their cock in you and spit on you when they’re done. But there’s someone relying on you, so you can’t even die.”

Kihyun swallowed, speechless. That actually hit hard like a slap in the face. 

Just then, Hyunwoo stepped out of the elevator. “Minhyuk? You came.”

“I told you I would. Didn’t doubt me, did you?” Minhyuk perked right up, leaving Kihyun still stunned. 

“Have you filled out the sign-in forms? We need to do this officially.” Hyunwoo glanced over the desk. 

Minhyuk huffed a sigh. “Fiiiine. Gimme the stupid form.” He took the pen and paper from the duty officer and started scribbling messily on it. 

“We may need to take a DNA sample. Could you do that for me, Kihyun?”

Kihyun blinked himself out of his trance. “Huh? Oh. Sure. I’ll go get some swabs.”

“We’ll be in room four.”

———

“Do you want a lawyer present?” Hyunwoo asked. “I can call Park Kyung again for you.”

“I’m hoping I’ll be able to get this over with and leave soon. I’ll pass on the lawyer for now.”

“If you’re sure.” Hyunwoo clicked on the tape as he sat down. “Officer Son Hyunwoo interviewing Lee Minhyuk. 11th of August 2018. 11:02am. Please confirm your name for the record.”

“Lee Dior, darling.” Minhyuk giggled. 

He clicked off the tape. “Please be serious. Otherwise, why are we here? I thought you wanted to get this over with.” Hyunwoo rubbed his temples and clicked the recorder back on. 

“Sorry, sorry. Lee Minhyuk.”

“Thank you. I am going to play for you security footage showing—” Knocking at the door interrupted him. “Sorry.” Again, he stopped the tape. “One moment.” Hyunwoo slipped out of the room. It must have been something important to interrupt questioning. That was a big no-no.

“Rude!” He heard Minhyuk yell before closing the door behind him. Kihyun was stood there with a sheet of paper.

“What is it? I’m not ready for DNA swabs yet, we’ll do it at the end.”

“I have the identity of the victim.” Kihyun blurted out. 

“What? Seriously?”

“It’s your ghost man. It’s the mysterious Mr Kim. No wonder you can’t find the fucker, he’s laying in one of Dr. Frankenstein’s fridges half beaten to a pulp.”

“Are you sure?” Hyunwoo took the piece of paper.

“Victim’s prints match what can only be his. They’re on everything in his office. Inside and outside his personal safe, an illegal firearm and all over some dodgy documents belonging to him. We took DNA off the cigarette ends in the ash tray of his office, it matches the victim. He also meets the physical description Hyungwon’s report provided. It has to be him.”

“Holy shit...” This changed things. This framed Lee Jooheon as less of a potential victim. It also had implications for Minhyuk’s involvement. “Thank you, Kihyun.”

“I’ll come back with the swabs. I got distracted by the hit popping up on the database while I was up in the lab.”

This was good. 

A step forward. 

So why didn’t it feel like that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two cameos this time! :D 
> 
> _____
> 
> Thank you, all! As you may have gathered, my health has been suffering over the last couple of weeks due to a complete overhaul of my medication to manage my OCD. This week especially has honestly been rough and there will be a few more hard weeks to get through. 
> 
> Not gonna lie, it’s honestly been really rough. I spent all night last night going around switching all the lights on and off after I kept waking up thinking I was going to die. Yesterday I visited my mother and apparently spent over an hour just staring into a bowl of soup. I’m honestly so exhausted and earlier in the week couldn’t eat properly because of some really awful visceral intrusive thoughts getting triggered by feeling things on my teeth (thank god for soup!). Sorry, TMI!
> 
> Therefore, for the next couple of weeks my updates may be a little sporadic. They at come more frequently one week or I may miss a week. I cannot say, because my concentration is all over the place. 
> 
> Thank you all for your understanding and patience in all this so far. It honestly means a lot, thank you monbebe family! 
> 
> Please bare with me T-T 
> 
> _______
> 
> **NEXT TIME:** Minhyuk talks. 
> 
> Also, special announcement with the next chapter!


	8. Barren Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minhyuk spills the beans and we get a lesson on autopsy technique from Hyungwon.   
Also, enter: Im Changkyun.
> 
> This is the longest chapter so far sorry! I just couldn't find a good place to split it and I wanted to keep Hyungwon's little scene in there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings:   
Description of examination of the brain of a person who suffered an aneurysm and also description of autopsy on a strangulation victim.

**Saturday 11th August. 2018.**

Hyunwoo watched Minhyuk’s face, looking for any inflection across his features as the security footage from outside the club played. But there was nothing. Minhyuk had an excellent poker face. A blank face, even as he sat perched tensely on the edge of the seat.

“Can you explain what is happening in this scene?” Hyunwoo asked.

Minhyuk sat back in the chair and stared at the tabletop. 

“Did you have a disagreement with Lee Jooheon?” Hyunwoo pressed.

There it was, the change in the young man’s expression. A slight frown and a bite of his lower lip.

“Who is the other individual seen here, Min?”

With that, Minhyuk’s body language changed, too. From tense and guarded to defeated, slumping his shoulders and eyes not moving from their fixed point on the desk. “I didn’t hurt Jooheon. Well, I slapped him across the face a couple times… and the other guy, I kinda kicked him in the dick…”

“Why were you arguing?”

“Look, Jooheon was a total mess when I first met him. He was just a kid who had run away from home. I went against my better judgement and I helped him out. Its usually every man for himself out there but… I couldn’t let him get eaten alive. I… I couldn’t bare to see him let his life slip through his fingers before it had a chance to start. He was so young and fucking innocent and dumb. I had him drop the weed habit and got him a place at a youth shelter and warned him to stay away from people like Kim. But he fell victim to false promises and ended up with that sleazy sicko pimping him out anyway. Admittedly he had a relatively good thing going on… he was lucky in that respect.”

“What thing? What was their arrangement?”

“He was more of a male escort kinda thing. Expensive. He was still treated like trash and had to live off barely any money, that’s why he picked up extra business, but at least his clients were mostly bored rich housewives. Maybe the odd middle age CEO with a closeted desire to get dicked in the ass by a hot young guy. He wasn’t expected to crawl the streets or lay on a mattress while one dirty pervert after another came in to fuck him. I told him to just keep his head down and play by the rules. I thought he might actually take my advice for once.”

“And he didn’t?”

“He did… until Changkyun came along.”

“Im Changkyun. The guy sucking him off in the tape. He’s one of the less fortunate ones who belonged to Mr Kim. The laying on a mattress while a line of perverts formed to take what they wanted type. Kim doesn’t like his expensive belongings to mix with cheap trash.” Minhyuk’s words became tight and bitten off as he absently rubbed over his left hand. 

Ah, Kim was the one who broke Minhyuk’s hand a year ago, wasn’t he? “Is that why… Kim broke your hand?”

“He never liked me hanging around Jooheon. He doesn’t like me, anyway, because I refused to work for him. He made Jooheon watch while he broke my hand to make an example. The guy is twisted as fuck. Anyway, Jooheon kinda avoided me a lot after that and I so don’t know what was really going on between him and Changkyun. I told him to stay away from the kid or Kim would fuck them both up. I heard a couple months back that Jooheon was like… demoted? He wasn’t a prized escort anymore, just treated like a cheap dirty rag like the others. I thinks that’s where the pills and weed started again. And yeah, when I saw those two together in that alley I got so fucking mad. I was angry because it felt like every effort I’d ever made to help Jooheon had been thrown back in my face. All for this damn kid.”

“Did you hate them?” 

“No. I mean, I ever liked Changkyun, not that he ever spoke to me. But I care about Jooheon so fucking much.” He hid his face in his hands as sobs broke free. “I didn’t want him to end up like this. Now fuck knows what mess he’s involved in or even if he’s ok.”

“You were close, then?” This was hard, seeing Minhyuk so upset. But this was a murder investigation.

“F-For a few years… a-at first. B-But I just couldn’t wash my hands of him.”

This was honestly killing Hyunwoo inside but he had to ask. “Why did you pull a knife on him, Minhyuk?”

“I-I was just upset. W-Wanted to scare him. A-Asked him if he had a death wish cos that’s what would happen to him if he kept pissing off Kim. He said they had stolen money from him and were gonna run away.” Minhyuk composed himself a little. “I said he was fucking insane. Kim is the kind of guy who has an associate on every fucking street corner.” 

“Do you still have the knife?”

“N-No. I dropped it when I tried to stop Jooheon getting in the car after they ran off. I went to look for it the next day but it was gone. Please… I just want Jooheon to be ok. Fuck. I should have protected him better.” 

“… A body was found violently beaten to death and crammed into the trunk of a car containing your prints, the prints and blood of Lee Jooheon and prints and DNA of another male. We have enough evidence to say at this point the body was Kim’s. I’ll hazard a guess the other male was Changkyun.”

Minhyuk visibly paled, the colour draining right out of him. There was in implication in the air that Minhyuk could have been the one to kill the man. He certainly had a motive.

“What did you do after you tried to get Jooheon out the car?”

“I… n-nothing. I… I went home.”

“In light of your level of involvement and this altercation I strongly recommend you have a lawyer present, Minhyuk.” The reality was that at this moment, Minhyuk was technically the prime suspect.

“Hyunwoo, please. I didn’t kill Kim. I didn’t kill anyone. I don’t know what happened after they left. Honest!”

“I’m going to pause the interview to enable a lawyer to be contacted for you. In the meantime you are required to supply a DNA sample.” He clicked the tape recorder off. 

“Please, Hyunwoo. That’s all I know!”

“I’m doing this to protect you. You’re going to have to go to court, Min. At the very least to give evidence. I just wish you’d told me this to start off with.” If Minhyuk had been honest in the beginning it would have cut out a lot of struggles. Heck, Hoseok probably wouldn’t have ended up almost dying. 

“I didn’t know the fucker was dead!” Minhyuk exclaimed. “I didn’t know what was going on!”

“Bullshit! What did you think when you knew there was a death and we were looking for Jooheon? When Kim had disappeared off the face of the planet? You must have had an idea, Minhyuk! You aren’t a damn idiot!”

“I thought it was Changkyun! I thought Kim had killed Changkyun and maybe even Jooheon, too! That’s why I fucking came here today! In case Jooheon was still alive or to at least get justice for him if he’s dead!”

Hyunwoo had to calm himself. The outburst was so unlike him to say the least, but weeks of frustration had finally boiled over. “I… I’m sorry, Min…”

“I still don’t trust you people. I didn’t wanna come here… because I’m a coward.” Minhyuk steeled himself, wiping away the tears. “I’m glad that cunt is dead. I hope it wasn’t quick. I hope he fucking suffered. I hope he looked death in the eye and pissed himself in fear of it. I don’t believe in god but I hope hell is real.” His voice trembled with pure venom.

“I’m going to call Park Kyung. Dr. Yoo will come and take DNA swabs.” Hyunwoo couldn’t bring himself to look at Minhyuk at that moment. It was just too much. He gathered his file notes and whisked himself away out of the room, bumping right into Kihyun in his rush to leave.

“You look shaken, Hyunwoo.” Kihyun frowned. “What did he say?”

……

Minhyuk was left sat in the empty room alone with his own thoughts. He didn’t know what to think anymore. He really didn’t. Could Jooheon have killed Kim? Surely not. Not Jooheon. He wasn’t capable of murder, was he? Minhyuk thought about it. He himself was probably quite capable of killing somebody who deserved it. He wouldn’t have cared if he’d killed the man he stabbed in the eye out of self defence. He was man enough to admit that about himself. Jooheon wasn’t as far gone as him though, was he? 

Then there was Changkyun. He really didn’t know anything abut the kid other than the fact he was even younger than Jooheon and barely ever spoke a word. But he was small and Kim was a big guy to overpower.

The door opened and the Kihyun walked in. Minhyuk fixed him with a steely gaze, trying to keep up his front.

“Please open your mouth.” Kihyun instructed. 

“I usually charge for that, chihuahua.”

“I need to swab the inside of your cheek to take your DNA for comparison against DNA collected at the crime scene. Your data will then be placed on the national database.”

“Whatever.” He opened his mouth, knowing he probably shouldn’t make this any worse for himself. He needed to get out of here as soon as possible because nurses were expensive and the longer he was away the more money he didn’t have for such things. He had to get back to his sister but it looked like he’d be kept for at least 24 hours, he really didn’t need it to be the full 72… or worse. But Minhyuk was certainly no idiot, he knew he was probably a suspect at this point.

Kihyun swabbed the inside of his cheek but before he could take the stick out of his mouth, Minhyuk bit down on it. This was the only small victory he could afford himself. A tiny illusion of momentary control over something in his life. He had to take the illusion of control where he could get it.

“Let go.” Kihyun said firmly but it wasn’t as feisty as Minhyuk expected from the redhead. Maybe his earlier statements in the lobby had gotten to him. Good. As they should. Another small victory.

———

As soon as Kihyun had loaded Minhyuk’s sample into the sequencing machine, he took himself off to Hyunwoo’s office to check on him. 

He knocked softly before letting himself in where he found Hyunwoo was acing up and down the room. “I Just wanted to come see if you’re ok. I know you wanted him to have had no involvement.”

“I’ve asked Junmyeon to complete the questioning. It wouldn’t look good in court if our relationship was brought up. I hope Min just answers his questions and doesn’t start spitting like a viper.” 

“That’s very wise. I swabbed him and put his DNA through the machine. We should have some results later today. Thought he was gonna bite my finger off.”

“He’s not as… corse as he comes across. He’s a sweet person in reality. He just has to be spiky to protect himself.” Why did he feel the need to defend Minhyuk so much? “I honestly think he cares about Jooheon a lot and really wanted to help him.”

“I get it. It’s fine. I’ve had convicts spit in my face before so frankly he was very amicable by comparison.” He rounded the desk and took the side of Hyunwoo’s face to get the older to look him in the eye. “I can tell you’re beating yourself up. Don’t. Whatever he’s done or hasn’t done is nothing to do to you. We’ll get to the bottom of all this. Promise.”

“Thank you, Kihyun.” Hyunwoo brought his hand gently to the back of Kihyun’s head to guide him in for a delicate kiss, testing the waters before kissing him with more confidence. “Is it ok if I kiss you like this?” He breathed against the redhead’s slightly parted lips.

“It is.”

“Will you fall asleep again?”

Kihyun bit Hyunwoo’s lower lip for that comment, making the older chuckle and press him further back into the desk. 

“Fuck you.” Kihyun grumbled, pressing his face into Hyunwoo’s neck so he wouldn’t catch him blushing, tugging down his shirt collar to nip and suck at the skin there.

“I’m not opposed to that.”

Kihyun was all too aware his glasses were getting in the way, feeing them jostle on his face. He pulled them off, mindlessly setting them down on the desk behind him. “Wanna know what I want? I want you to wanna make my fingers curl.” He brought their lips back together again for a teasingly brief moment, making Hyunwoo chase his lips to recapture them, regaining control of the situation. 

“I do. You drive me crazy but I don’t want to be the only one to lose control.”

“If you make me lose control in this office we’ll both end up fired. How ‘bout you buy me dinner rather than lunch and I might let you fuck me up. I sure hope you’re up to the job.” He leaned himself back into the desk further, bracing his hands behind himself. Unfortunately, his hand met the arm of his glasses and he felt them give under him. “Oh fuck.” His eyes widened. 

“What is it?” Hyunwoo blinked, backing off in case he’d done something wrong. 

“Shit.” He picked up his glasses, one of the arms swinging freely.

“Oh.” Hyunwoo couldn’t help but laugh a little. 

“Very funny.” Kihyun was annoyed at his own stupidity. “Just gimme some tape or something.”

“It’s in the drawer behind your butt.” 

Kihyun fumbled around for it, eventually finding the roll of tape in the drawer.

“I’d be more than happy to buy you dinner, by the way. Just let me know when you’re free.” He watched the redhead wrap the tape around his glasses frames, amused. “I’m sure Hyungwon can fix them for you. He fixed the aviators Hoseok got himself to make himself look cool and promptly left them on the car seat and sat on them.”

“I don’t wanna ask the crypt keeper to fix them. It’s fine.” He placed the heavily taped glasses crookedly back onto his face, some of his hair already getting snagged in the mess of scotch tape.

Hyunwoo barked out a laugh at the sight. “You look ridiculous. Cute but ridiculous. Just go ask him nicely.”

“He hates me!”

“Hyungwon doesn’t feel strongly enough about anyone to hate them. Just go.”

“Fine. But I want dinner tonight.”

“I was gonna visit Hoseok so maybe you’d like to come and we could go for food after?”

“Sounds nice.”

“Only if you get help with your glasses, I can’t take you seriously like that.”

“Fine. But I’m gonna be a really expensive date.” Kihyun warned.

……

“Hey Dr. Frankenstein? My eyes are closed so if you’re fucking a corpse down here now’s the time to stop.” Kihyun called as he let himself into Hyungwon’s lab. He really didn’t want to do this but his vision was terrible without his glasses and he didn’t have any spares. He hadn’t worn contacts for years, either. He’d left them in too long once and fallen asleep with them in. Never again. The resulting corneal abrasion had been one of the most miserable experiences of his life.

“I’m not a necrophiliac and I don’t like people entering unannounced. Or at all, really.” Hyungwon didn’t look up from the human brain he was finely slicing, the smell of formalin hanging in the air. “You should wear a mask because I’m using formalin.”

“Sure that’s not why you like Hoseok? He’s paler than half the stiffs you have down here.” Kihyun mocked, peering around curiously and grabbing a mask. 

“Please don’t call my clients stiffs. You and I both know it’s inaccurate because rigour mortis is merely the third stage after death. Beginning at 4–6 hours after death occurs and typically ending between 48–60 hours after death.” Hyungwon lectured, not looking up from his task.

Kihyun rolled his eyes. “Yes, thank you Dr. Chae. I was indeed present for that class.”

Hyungwon removed his gloves to take photographs of what Kihyun could tell was probably a massive cerebral aneurysm. Hyungwon then replaced his gloves and set the brain back into it’s formalin-filled container and sealed it. Pulling off his mask and gloves once again and washing his hands, he picked up his dictaphone. “Final conclusions. Major subarachnoid haemorrhage from a ruptured cerebral saccular aneurysm. In light of this and no external signs of trauma, death appears to have come about by natural causes. Awaiting toxicology results.” Switching the recorder off, he turned back to Kihyun. “Furthermore, they probably wouldn’t like being called stiffs. It’s dehumanising, don’t you think?”

Kihyun pulled off the mask. “They’re dead. They can’t hear me.” A few years ago, Kihyun would have probably shared the same opinion as Hyungwon. But the job and constant exposure to the very worst of humanity had thoroughly jaded him over time. 

“It doesn’t matter that the dead can’t hear.” Hyungwon sounded uncharacteristically stern. “What do you want?”

Maybe he was being a little disrespectful… “Sorry… uh, I broke my glasses, I think the screw just needs tightening up, hopefully. Hyunwoo said you might be able to help.”

Hyungwon looked at the tape covered glasses. “Oh, yes. I can fix them for you.” He held out his hand expectantly. 

“I can do it myself. Just gimme the tools.”

“On the contrary, without your glasses your vision is extremely poor, right? And you need to take them off in order to fix them. You won’t be able to see the hinge components well enough. Also, I don’t like people touching my things.”

“I prefer you when you don’t talk.” Kihyun muttered and pulled off his broken glasses, handing them over reluctantly.

Hyungwon sat at the bench and rummaged in his bag and removing a small repair kit. “How did you damage them?” He asked, pulling off the tape.

“None of your business.” Like hell he was admitting what happened to Hyungwon of all people. Not like he could relate, anyway.

“Your sympathetic nervous system seems to be causing some vasodilation. You must be embarrassed. Or aroused. Or angry.”

“Blushing. It’s called blushing. This is why people think you’re weird. You don’t talk like a normal person.” Kihyun sat at the end of the bench, groaning with frustration. He didn’t really hate Hyungwon really, he just couldn’t relate to him at all and he was hard so to communicate with. Besides, if Kihyun could hide his own weirdness then why couldn’t Hyungwon?

“But I know you’re educated in physiology enough to know that’s what I meant. Why would I dumb myself down unnecessarily?”

“That’s not the point. It’s just not what people do. You don’t see me going around saying stuff like that.”

The younger suddenly looking solemn, downtrodden. “I know I’m not good at being a person. I’m actually really jealous of you because of that, Ki— Dr. Yoo.” With steady hands he removed the arm entirely from the glasses. “The pin in the hinge is broken. I have a spare that should fit, they’re pretty universal.”

“Why the hell would you be jealous of me?” Because if anyone was guilty of jealousy…

“Everyone in class liked you at University and while we were doing our internship together. People here already respect you and look up to you. I had to have an intern from upstairs spend a day down here and all he did was talk about you and your paper on fibre analysis. You’re so liked by people and I’m just always a weirdo that people hate talking to. You’re very intelligent but so am I. In fact, my IQ is in the top 5% in the country. I do my job well and I’m one of the best in my field. I have more published papers to my name than most in the international community. But rather than respect, people ridicule me behind my back and even right to my face. At University, at conferences and here. It makes me feel inadequate and I don’t understand why because it shouldn’t matter to me… but it does. It hurts a lot. I wish I could be more like you.”

Kihyun had no idea. He just sort of assumed Hyungwon was like some kind of unfeeling robot. “Hyungwon…” Now he felt fucking awful.

“I thought we were using our professional titles to address each other? I’m confused now.”

“Hyungwon shut up a second. You’re not inadequate. Honestly…” This wasn’t going to be easy to admit out loud. “I’ve always been jealous of how effortlessly smart you are. We probably got off on the wrong foot because after that first class of my second year at university my head was kinda spinning and when you asked me if I needed help I took it personally. You had only just joined for fuck sake, it was the first time we met. My ego was bruised. After that I just wanted to be better than you, I tried to score higher on every assignment. But no matter how much effort I put into it, no matter how many all-nighters I pulled... you still beat me every time. You kept falling asleep in class for fuck sake, while I was frantically taking notes. But I shouldn’t have been an asshole to you, Hyungwon.” Maybe he should have made a little more effort to actually talk to Hyungwon. “And people do respect you. As much as I hate to admit it, _I_ respect you. A lot. You’re a better person than I am, you don’t wanna be like me. I’m someone who feels the need to tare down and mock those I’m envious of.” He took a deep breath. “And by the way, I keep a copy of your paper on analysing impact fractures as reference piece.”

“Really?” Hyungwon’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah.” 

Hyungwon carefully placed the new pin into the hinge and tightened the whole thing up. “The other side is a little loose. Would you like me to adjust that?”

“Please.”

“You’ve given me a little boost of confidence, you know. This afternoon I’m having to do a session for a group of forensic pathology students and I was really nervous. But now I feel a little better about it. Director Choi said I have to do it because it’s contributing to the eduction of the next generation. Or something like that.”

“Ah you’ll be fine. If any of them are little shits just tell them to fuck off out of your crypt.”

“I don’t think I can do that. I’m more worried they won’t be interested.”

“Just don’t make them puke with something too gross.”

“As long as nobody becomes emotional I should be able to cope.” Hyungwon handed the glasses back over to Kihyun.

“Thanks.” He placed the glasses back onto his face, they fit much more conformably than before. “Good luck teaching the younglings. I think I saw an email about them coming to the main labs but I’m just gonna dump them on someone else. Outsourcing and all that. I hate teaching, personally.”

———

It was so far so good for Hyungwon. 

So far nobody had started crying or vomiting. His latest client was perfect example to show them. He’d already taken X-Rays and removed the organ systems, which were now laid out on a separate bench, ready for inspection. The client was a female and he was sure to drape a cloth across to cover her breasts and another over her genital area in order to preserve her modesty.

“So, I have already conducted an external examination of this individual. Fingerprints have been taken and every mark has been documented. There is clear trauma to the neck which is consistent with strangulation with the hands. Additionally, blood and tissue samples have been taken from under her fingernails. Most likely it is that of her assailant as she tried to free herself. I have also taken X-Rays of the client.” He motioned over to the X-rays hanging on the light box on the back wall. “What do we see here? Can anybody identify abnormalities?”

A female student raised her hand. “A fractured hyoid?” Impressive for a first year student.

“Correct. Often referred to as a hangman’s fracture. We can also note damage to the thyroid cartilage here.”

Another student raised his hand. “What is the incidence of hyoid fractures in stranglings? It isn’t that high, is it?” Ah, what a good question. It always surprised and delighted Hyungwon when people showed genuine interest. 

“Well, that is actually a rather good question. Including both stranglings with implements and hands, also including hangings and incomplete hangings it is around 25%-35%. Hyoid fractures are more common in older individuals. In a 1996 study of numerous cases, the bone was ossified or fused in 70% of all fractured hyoids looked at. I highly recommend reading further into the Pollanen and Chiasson paper. I myself have a paper on variations in damage to structures in the neck if that is of any interest. It was part of my doctorate so possibly not my best work, I like to think I have improved since then.”

The group scribbled the information down in their notebooks.

“Anyway, even though we have established the individual likely suffered strangulation, we still have to conduct the internal examination. As you can see, I have already made a standard Y incision, extending from the joint of each shoulder and meeting at the sternum before running down to the pubic bone.” He briefly removed the cloth over the client’s chest to demonstrate the proper incision technique. “Adjustments have to be made when the client is female to account for the breast tissue and therefore the incisions curve slightly down under them. With males this is less of an issue. Anyway, I then removed the entire frontal ribcage as one piece. Many do prefer to cut down the sternum but I find this approach enables me to be a little more delicate. Can anyone tell me the two approaches commonly used to remove the organs from the body cavity?”

The girl who identified the hyoid fracture raised her hand. “Rokitansky and… Virchow?”

“Yes, the former involves removing connected groups of organs and the latter involves removing them individually. Personally I prefer the Rokitansky technique in most cases. Which is what I’ve done here. If you’d like to come and take a look.” He lead them over to the other bench. “After that, the first thing I’ll do in this case is sample the stomach contents.”

In all, his session went very well. One of the students had to sit down for a moment during the examination but they all seemed interested and keen to learn. 

At the end they all thanked him and the young woman who had impressed him with her knowledge hung back from the group. 

“I was wondering if I could contact you in the future for an internship? I’d really like to work with you and learn from you. I’ve read a number of your papers, actually.”

Hyungwon didn’t really take on his own interns. But maybe by the time she completed her education he would feel better able to cope with that. His workload was certainly increasing and a capable pair of hands could be a welcome thing by then. “I cannot make any promises to you as generally I prefer to work alone but you’re welcome to contact me for your internship if it is still something you’re interested at the time.” He wrote his work email down for her. “It may take me some time to reply as I check my emails very infrequently.”

“Thank you so much!” 

“Ah! By the way, will your class be visiting the main forensic labs?”

“Yeah, next week.” She nodded. 

“If you see a man around my age with orangey red hair be sure that all of you ask him lots of questions. He loves teaching.” Hyungwon smiled. Maybe he wouldn’t let Kihyun entirely off the hook.

———

As soon as Kihyun got the results of Minhyuk’s DNA profile later that day, he took the printout straight to Hyunwoo, not even bothering to knock this time before he burst into the office.

“I don’t know if you’d consider this to be good or bad news.” He waved the piece of paper around wildly. 

“Oh?” Hyunwoo looked up from his case notes.

“Lee Minhyuk’s DNA isn’t anywhere at the scene. It isn’t the other male’s DNA. It’s bad because it doesn’t give us any further evidence but good because I know you really don’t want him to be deeply involved.”

“God… I really need to find the knife and the murder weapon. I need to be able to show Minhyuk didn’t use that knife on Jooheon.”

“I had my guys go up and down that stretch of road looking for a potential weapon. A bloody pipe or bar or whatever would have been spotted. Where would you even start looking for that knife? He said it wasn’t where he dropped it, right? That’s if it really isn’t still in Minhyuk’s possession. You should have them search his home first.”

“I trust him.” Does he?

“Then you’re dumb.”

“I already asked them to search Minhyuk’s home and that area around The Emporium was combed after the shooting. I’m doing things by the book, you’ll be glad to know.”

“I am. You aren’t doing him any favours with special treatment, remember?” 

Hyunwoo looked at the clock. “Please don’t be mad but I really want to go check out that stretch of road for myself. I know it isn’t exactly what we planned, but…”

“Wandering around an empty wasteland in the baking heat probably til it gets dark? You sure know how to spoil a guy.” 

“Sorry, I jus—”

“Shut up. It’s fine. You can buy me a McDonald’s or something for the ride.”

“I’ll go visit Hoseok first thing in the morning before I come into work. He’s gonna hate me.” Hyunwoo bit his lower lip, still feeling guilty for Hoseok being in that hospital in the first place.

“He’ll understand. Just so you know, I’m gonna make you pay out for large fries.”

“I think I know what’ll make it up to you. Meet me by the lobby elevator in ten minutes?”

“I’m expecting to be impressed. Don’t let me down on this, Son Hyunwoo.” Kihyun smirked and left the printout on the desk as he left to get his things.

Kihyun took a field bag with what he figured would be enough sampling equipment and some evidence bags. He also grabbed a tape measure and one of the cameras. Just in case they found something. Not that Kihyun was optimistic. At least he was gonna get to spend some time with Hyunwoo out of it. Besides, anything was better than sitting in the lab and staring at a screen for half the night. No wonder his eyes were ruined.

“Junhee! I’m going out to do some evidence collection.” He called to one of his colleagues. “Don’t sit down too much, your butt might fall off.”

Junhee flipped him the bird over his shoulder. “Happy collecting out there with the surface dwellers. If you don’t come back I get dibs on your coffee mug.

“Too bad, I’m being buried with that coffee mug.” Kihyun cackled and headed off to meet Hyunwoo at the lobby elevators.

The older was already there when he arrived and motioned for him to enter the elevator first. 

“So I thought maybe we wouldn’t take my car.”

“You want me to drive?” Kihyun blinked, a little confused, thinking maybe Hyunwoo’s leg was hurting him. 

“Nope.” He swiped his ID for the level of the parking lot where the squad cars were kept.

“Oh my god… really?” 

“I’m sure Hoseok won’t mind.” Hyunwoo smiled and jangled the keys. “Just between us, yeah?”

“Ok I already forgive you for backing out of taking me out properly.” Kihyun beamed with excitement. “Can we put the siren on? Please? I’ll 100% forgive you then.” 

“Ok, fine.” He unlocked the vehicle and opened the passenger door for Kihyun to climb inside and toss his bag of forensic supplies onto the back seat.

As soon as he was in, Kihyun started to rummage around in the glove compartment. “Do you have an Aux cable?”

“I’m not sure. Haven’t been in here for a while” Hyunwoo admitted honestly, settling into the driver’s seat. It really had been too long since he’d been behind the wheel of this car. He remembered when himself and Hoseok had been given the keys and they’d flipped a coin for who was going to be the first to drive it. Hoseok had won but had then instead that actually Hyunwoo should have the honour. He missed those early days of his career. 

“Damn. Guess we’ll stick with radio tunes for now. Next time I’m bringing my bluetooth speaker.”

“Next time?”

“I’m very persuasive.”

“I don’t doubt that for a single second.” Hyunwoo chuckled and drove out into the street. “Food before or after?”

“Before. I skipped lunch. My stomach is eating itself.” 

For Kihyun, being out in the field always gave him a thrill. Even though it wasn’t exactly likely to be action packed and would probably consist of fruitlessly walking up and down and empty road. Heck, if it was boring he could always climb up into Hyunwoo’s lap and— well, yeah. The less he followed that train of thought the better, honestly. After all, come stains all over the seats would probably be pretty awkward for Hyunwoo to explain. On the other hand, it would also be kind of funny, right? 

“Earth to Yoo Kihyun? Are you listening?”

“Huh?”

“I’ll take that as a no. I asked what you wanted to eat. I’ll go into the drive through up here.”

“Sorry. Was lost in my own thoughts. Don’t ask what thoughts. I’ll have a Big Mac and large fries.”

“And would Sir like to order a beverage with his meal?”

“Large pepsi. Diet pepsi.” Ordering a diet soda totally made up for the large fries and his predominantly sedentary lifestyle, right? “If you order like a plain grilled chicken wrap without sauce and no fries I’ll kill you for making me look like a slob.”

“I live off convenience store food and you’re worried I’ll make you look bad? I’m getting the same as you anyway. Slobs of the world unite!”

“Ah there’s the cringe master I remember. Get me an ice cream, too. I’m melting to death.” Kihyun extracted himself from his jacket. Today was blisteringly hot, the temperature and humidity were still high even though it was later in the day. The thing about working in a perfectly climate controlled lab was the weather often caught him by surprise. 

They pulled into the drive through, Hyunwoo ordering and paying for the food. They sat in the parking lot with the engine and air conditioner running while Hyunwoo ate his burger, skeptical about eating it one-handed while driving. 

“Compliments to the chef. This almost tastes like it isn’t made of rendered horse viscera and car tyres.” Kihyun deadpanned. 

Hyunwoo almost choked. 

“I’m trained in advanced first aid, don’t worry big guy. Let me know if you need some life saving.”

“I certainly will.” The older coughed, taking some gulps of his soda.

“Hey, do you really think we’re gonna find anything out there?”

“I don’t know. But there was a second set of tyre tracks, right? I’m gonna assume they took that car and drove off continuing to head out of Seoul. Judging by the amount of Jooheon’s blood that was there, how far would he have gotten, do you think?”

“Impossible to tell, honestly. It also depends on if they were able to stem the bleeding and exactly where he was injured. I don’t like to speculate because it isn't really my area of expertise. I deal with the physical and tangible, remember. Not speculation.” 

“Hmm…” Hyunwoo thought for a moment. “I think there’s a motel further down the road by a couple of miles. Maybe they went there because Jooheon was hurt. The other set of male DNA had to be this Changkyun kid but we have no records on him yet to prove that beyond a shadow of a doubt.”

“If they stayed at the hotel they weren’t exactly going to leave a murder weapon in the trash can. They surely can’t be that dumb.”

“If I was in their situation I’d probably be panicking. I’d probably go out back and toss that thing as far as I was physically able to. There’s nothing around for a couple of miles. That or they still have it with them. That’s also a possibility.”

“There’s endless possibilities. That’s why speculation isn’t my thing.”

“Well, I guess we’ll see. I want to talk to the motel staff, too.” Hyunwoo scrunched up the wrapper from his burger and tossed it into the bag. 

“I hope you don’t expect me to feed you fries.”

“It’s ok, I’m capable of eating them while driving.” The older laughed and peeled out of the parking lot. 

Kihyun fiddled with the radio as they drove, finishing off his fries and starting on his pot of ice cream. Plain vanilla, of course. He had some strong opinions on over-complicating ice cream. inevitably, he quickly became frustrated with the static filled stations on the radio and looked out of the window. They were just about leaving the city. 

“Put the siren on so we can get to the open road faster. You said you’d put it on.”

“You know technically I’m really not allowed to do that, right?”

“It’s urgent and investigation related. Forensic evidence degrades with every passing moment.” 

“Fine but if Director Choi finds out I’ll let you reply to his angry email.” He flipped the siren on and watched the as sea of traffic in front of them instantly began to part. Now this was one way to get through Seoul’s rush hour traffic. 

“Ah this is something crossed off my bucket list.” Kihyun beamed with excitement. Simple things please simple minds, huh? 

Hyunwoo hit the gas, accelerating down the emptying road. He felt the thrill which was an increasingly rare thing these days. Kihyun seemingly brought that side out of him. It really didn’t take long for them to get out to the empty open old road heading out of the city. Not many people used it since the larger, more direct roads had been built. He switched the siren off and reached over to grab some fries.

“Ah this is much better than a stuffy restaurant date.” Kihyun beamed, scooping a spoonful of rapidly melting ice cream into his mouth. The redhead suddenly rolled down the window and took the mic for the PA speakers on the top of the car out of the glove compartment. “How does this thing work?”

“You need to plug it into the system there under the radio scanner. Why? What are you doing?”

“I want music. Roll your window down.” 

Hyunwoo had a horrible idea he knew what the younger was doing. Thank god there wasn’t anyone around. Not that he could bring himself to say no to Kihyun. Obediently, he rolled the window down and Kihyun plugged in the mic and held his phone next to it. Before he knew it, music was blasting out of the speakers on top of the car. The sound quality was terrible but Hyunwoo recognised the song instantly.

“Drunken Tiger, Monster!” Kihyun announced. “In case you didn’t know.”

“I don’t live under a rock, Kihyun!” 

“Bam bam bababa bam!” 

“All my drunkens in the front, make ya feet stomp. Drunken in the back, get ready to react!” Hyunwoo cut in, taking over in singing along. He felt light, almost giddy, briefly rid of his relentless, grinding worries. Here he was, singing along to music and eating fries next to Yoo Kihyun.

For 3 minutes and 36 seconds, nothing else existed. 

Kihyun was more than escapism, though. He was hope when Hyunwoo hadn’t realised he as so hopeless. 

“Ah the sound quality wasn’t as good as I’d hoped.” Kihyun tossed his empty ice cream carton in the bag with the rest of the trash, unplugging the mic after. “Physics of sound waves clearly isn’t my thing.”

“You can’t be a genius with everything. That wouldn’t be fair on us normal dumb people.”

“You’re not dumb. You’re far from dumb. There’s more than one kind of smart. You don’t have to know how a SEM works to be smart.”

“…What’s a SEM?”

“Scanning electron microscope.”

“What’s a microscope?” Hyunwoo tried to keep a straight face but he could feel the corner of his mouth twitch. Of course he knew what a microscope was.

“Shut the fuck up, dummy.” The redhead scoffed. He was pretty sure Hyunwoo actually even knew what an SEM was, anyway.

……

The motel they pulled into had to have been one of the seediest, disreputable looking places Kihyun had seen in a long time. He could only imagine some of the shit that had gone down in a place like this. It was dilapidated, smelled of weed from the outside and there was a car with the windows smashed in the parking lot. 

The inside was no better than the outside, either. The wallpaper was discoloured and peeling off the walls and there also appeared to be an ant infestation. 

The woman at the reception desk was rocking back in the chair. She was older, in her late 50s, probably. Heavy purple eyeshadow, too much mascara and a cigarette hanging between her thin lips. The fan on the desk was blowing the smoke right in Kihyun and Hyunwoo’s faces. “Room for two?” She asked, sitting forward and setting the cigarette on the edge of an overfilled glass ashtray. 

“Actually we’re here to ask some questions.” Hyunwoo flashed his badge. 

“God, what now?” She rolled her eyes and picked her cigarette back up. “Is this about the guy who got robbed the other day? I told you guys it isn’t my fault he left the goddamn door unlocked.”

“No, actually we’re here looking for a missing person.” Hyunwoo placed the photograph of a younger Jooheon on the reception desk. “Have you seen this young man? He would be 22 now and his name is Lee Jooheon. He might have been with another young man named Im Changkyun.”

The woman squinted at the photograph, drumming her long pink acrylic fingernails on the wood of the desk. “I think he came in a few weeks back? Last month? I only remember because he looked like he was about to drop dead. I offered to call an ambulance but his friend begged me not to.”

“We’ll need to see your guest records, in that case.”

The woman shifted a little uncomfortably. “Look, we don’t keep great records here. Sometimes we get people who wanna be off-grid and we don’t ask questions if they don’t leave their name in the guestbook. Especially if they pay cash, which they did if I remember correctly. You’re free to look, though. Pretty sure it was 034 or 036, actually. The maid said here was a lot of blood in there, we had to throw out all the sheets.” She pushed the heavy guestbook towards them across the counter as Hyunwoo took back the photograph. 

“Do you remember how long they stayed?” Kihyun questioned. 

“Two nights I think?”

Hyunwoo scanned through the pages, unsurprisingly not seeing either Jooheon or Changkyun’s names. Then, on the 21st of July there was an entry for room 036. Two nights under the name _Daniel_.

“Have you had any foreign guests lately?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“What is it?” Kihyun peered over. “Daniel?”

“The other entries round that time are all for one night or have names that seem pretty normal or no names at all…” He looked back up at the woman. “Can we look in 036?”

“It’s occupied so you either need a warrant or you’ll have to come back between 10am and 3pm tomorrow. Just don’t tell me someones been murdered in there or something. It’s bad for business.”

“That’s fine, we can come back. You said Jooheon looked like he was dying? What was his condition?” 

“Pale, barely able to stand upright. Blood on his clothes from what I could see. There was blood on the other kid, too but he seemed ok.”

“And you didn’t think to contact the authorities?!” Kihyun cut in. 

“It isn’t my job to ask questions. I’ve seen weirder shit than that. Last week I had to break into one of the rooms cos the occupant overstayed and I found a guy chained to the radiator with panties tied around his face, a lightbulb up his ass and a raging boner. Besides, like I said they refused an ambulance.”

“Right… thank you for your time.” Hyunwoo bundled Kihyun out the door before the redhead could argue that finding some kinky dude chained to a radiator was a bit different to two boys covered in blood showing up. Especially when one of them was looking in need of medical attention. And boy, did Kihyun want to argue that point. 

“So, how ‘bout you go that way and I go this way?” Hyunwoo motioned in two directions behind the motel. Much like this whole area it was mostly empty grassland. flat, corse and infertile from it’s previous life as a saltwater lake. It probably wouldn’t be long before it was built on, being absorbed into the ever growing metropolis. 

“Ok, I’ll leave the stuff in the car so I don’t have to carry it around in this heat.” Maybe Kihyun was a tad more hopeful now he knew they’d been in the motel, but not much more. He still didn’t expect they would actually find anything. 

They both began wandering up and down, keeping out a keen eye. The air felt gluey and close. Kihyun thought it was like wandering around in Satan’s butt crack. 

After over an hour, Kihyun was ready to give up and call it a day. He was sweating so much he was ready to crawl out of his own skin and his feet were killing him. This wasn’t the kind of fieldwork he wanted to be doing. Can’t pick and choose though, right?

Then he saw it. A heavy looking metal pipe covered in flaking paint and laying in stained, dead grass. Holy shit. 

“Hyunwoo! Over here!” He yelled, looking around for the investigator. 

Hyunwoo came hurrying over, white shirt off and hanging out of his back pocket. He was just wearing his undershirt and had a sheen of sweat covering is tanned skin. Kihyun had to do a double take for a second. Damn Hyunwoo. He was many enough to carry off the hot and sweaty look. Meanwhile, Kihyun was pretty sure he himself just looked blotchy melted garbage right now. He was confident in his looks but not deluded, he’d seen himself sweaty, dirty and overheated before. 

Now was not the time to lose his composure though, that wasn’t something Kihyun did anyway. At lest not usually, he was in control after all.

“There were paint flecks imbedded in the wounds, right?” Hyunwoo looked down at the pipe on the ground. 

“Yep. There’s probably blood still in there and on the underside. The staining on the grass around it is probably blood that’s been washed off in the rain we had. I better get the stuff from the car.” Kihyun dashed away to retrieve the camera and sampling equipment. 

Hyunwoo was left to wander the immediate area to search for anything else. Specifically within the distance somebody could throw something. The earth was too hard for footprints and it hadn’t rained for a while in the days prior to the murder. Maybe there’d be something else out here, though. 

He was about to walk back over to the pipe when he saw something metallic catch the slowly fading light. He got closer, being careful where his feet fell so as not to disturb anything. He quickly realised the thing was a knife, similarly laying on a stained patch of dry grass. 

“What you got over there?” Kihyun called over as he approached, bag slung over his shoulder and camera in hand. 

“A knife!” He called back.

Kihyun crouched down, taking photographs of the pipe alongside a tape measure for scale before making his way over to meet Hyunwoo. “Good eye.”

“Only because you found the pipe.”

“Ah, we both did good then. Rewards all round.” He crouched and photographed the knife, too. A switchblade with the blade extended. “There’s definitely gonna be blood soaked into the mechanism.” 

“Minhyuk carries a switchblade.” Hyunwoo thought out loud after watching Kihyun work for a few minutes. 

“Well, for all we know these are completely unrelated items. Let’s let the forensics do the talking.” Handing Hyunwoo the camera, the younger started walking back to the pipe. “You should call these in. I don’t have enough sample pots to take the soil samples for both of these and we’re losing daylight. I could do with getting some of the guys out here.” 

Hyunwoo called their discovery in while Kihyun bagged the items and started taking samples and labelling them up meticulously. 

“Theres still blood on the undersides of these, as expected. Pretty clear bloody fingerprints, too.” Kihyun absently commented. “We’ll get some good evidence from these and in the morning I’ll comb that motel room with my team.”

“I’ll have them go through hospital admissions again. If Jooheon was that badly injured, he must have received medical treatment of some kind.”

“Unless…” Kihyun started but decided not to finish his sentence, trailing off. Alluding to the possibility Jooheon could be dead by now. As grave as the possibility was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh JooKyun what happened? :0   
Also, spot the cameos! :D
> 
> If by chance there’s any morticians out there cursing my autopsy knowledge I apologise, it’s been a couple of years since I’ve seen one performed haha. I tried!
> 
> **SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT**: When this story reaches it’s conclusion, there will also be another story which will run alongside this one! Further details to follow!
> 
> **NEXT TIME**: More tapes show up, showing the kind of man the murder victim was. And what but the results from that pipe and the knife? And that motel room?
> 
> ____
> 
> As for me, my brain chemistry is still a bit crazy but not quite as bad. I’m still struggling a lot with concentration so it took me aaaaaages to proof read this! It Hopefully normal weekly service will resume soon.
> 
> On the bright side I got a VIP ticket to see HOLLAND to look forward to! I hope by then I’ll be getting the OCD back under of control!
> 
> Thank you again for your patience and continued support.


	9. Everything. All the time.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New evidence comes to light and Kihyun gets another shooting lesson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeahhh this is another pretty long chapter! Oops!
> 
> **WARNINGS:** Main warning is for sexual content.

**Sunday 12th August. 2018.**

“You look good.” Hyunwoo smiled at his friend in the hospital bed, still feeling somewhat guilty for his lack of visits. 

“I can’t wait to get outta here. I’m going crazy. Can’t you send me some documents on the case to look over?” Hoseok pushed out his lower lip, begging. 

“Director Choi will probably kill me but… fine. I’ll send you everything we got so far. I could do with your input, actually.”

“Where are we at?”

“Jooheon was being mistreated by the victim, along with another young man going by the name Im Changkyun. Jooheon was associated with Minhyuk before Changkyun showed up and got close with Jooheon, he helped him out a lot. Kim apparently didn’t like Jooheon mixing with Minhyuk and certainly not with Changkyun. He was a prostitute under him, too. Kim didn’t seem to like their— whatever their relationship was. More than friendly since it was Changkyun with Jooheon on the CCTV you found.”

“The one sucking him off?”

“Yeah. That. Anyway, apparently they stole money from him and were planning to run. Minhyuk got mad and threatened Jooheon with the knife. He said he warned him what they were doing was dangerous and tried to scare Jooheon. He dropped the knife in the struggle. In an interview with another officer he described it as a switchblade with a black handle. He stated Jooheon and Changkyun fled in the vehicle we found Kim in.”

“And Minhyuk’s prints were there, right?”

“Yeah but what was there was consistent with his story of trying to force Jooheon out of the car. The only prints of his that inside were on the wheel which is easily accounted by him grabbing it while trying to get Jooheon out.”

“You must be relieved. So do you think Changkyun’s was the mystery male from the crime scene?” Hoseok asked. 

“He has to be.”

“So you think they killed him?”

“I think so, yeah. I think he was in the other vehicle who’s tyre tracks were out at the scene. I think he was following them and I think some kind of struggle happened. That someone had picked up the knife Minhyuk dropped in the alley and Jooheon got hurt in the process. I think one of them killed Kim and they put his body in the trunk and drove off in his car. I think they were probably desperate. Looks like they went to a motel a few miles down the road and Jooheon was pretty worse for wear. We found a bloody pipe and switchblade with a black handle out in the grassland behind there last night.” Hyunwoo explained. 

“Fuck. Ok, yeah. Just send me whatever you want.”

“The teams investigating whatever organised crime was going on at The Emporium have a bunch of tapes from another premises run off the books by Kim. To call it a brothel would be too generous. Miserable place, apparently. That’s probably the kind of place he’d have someone like Changkyun working by the sounds of it. Apparently a lot of the stuff is pretty gut wrenching, though…”

“Send the files to me. I’ll look through them. Can’t do much else while I’m laying here.”

“I will if you’re sure but don’t push yourself.”

“I’m well enough to look at a laptop screen.” Hoseok rolled his eyes. “Sooooo…. You and Kihyun? Any progress there?” He changed the subject to something lighter. 

“We haven’t really had time to see much of each other outside work, honestly.”

“So make time.” Hoseok said like it was obvious. 

“I hope I’m not fucking things up with him. Should I even be thinking about dating when—”

“Let me stop you right there. You have a life to live outside of your job. You tend to let things consume you because you’ve always had this stupid idea in your head that you aren’t worthy of having anything good in your life.” Hoseok frowned. 

“I… I know, but—”

“No buts. Unless it’s Kihyun’s butt. I even manage to have dates with Hyungwon and I’m stuck in here.”

“How have you been going on dates?”

Hoseok’s face lit up in a sunshine bright smile, Hyunwoo was pretty sure it would physically light up a room. “Stood my phone up with a picture of a candle on it and got one of the nice nurses to take my card to the hospital cafeteria. We had a candlelit dinner of sandwiches, a cookies and a bag of chips.” 

“That’s disgustingly cute. Are you for real?” Hyunwoo laughed. The ridiculously proud look on Hosoek’s face made it even more endearing. He was honestly a little envious. 

———

The noon sun was absolutely scorching, especially inside the white overalls. Kihyun felt like one of those packers of boil-in-the-bag rice. He felt sorry for the guys walking up and down searching through the grass for any trace evidence. Not that it was much better inside the motel room. He’d come out for some air and found it slightly less stagnant than the air indoors. 

His head was killing him and this undercurrent of nausea and light headedness had started about an hour ago. He probably should have stepped out sooner but god forbid people saw that he wasn’t as perfect and put-together as he presented. He’d hate for people to see him as human. What a shame that would be. 

He unzipped the top part of his overalls and pulled he hood down to try and get some air to circulate around him. Summer was the absolute worst. He was counting down the days until the weather started cooling down. 

A familiar car pulled into the parking lot. Hyunwoo climbed out, shirt already unbuttoned half way down his chest and sleeves rolled up past his elbows. He pushed his sunglasses up onto the top of his head as he made his way straight over to Kihyun as soon as he caught sight of him. 

“What, no squad car?” Kihyun pouted in mock disappointment.

“Not today. I almost brought you ice cream, though. But it would have been liquid by now.”

“I think that motel room killed my appetite for a while, anyway. Seriously, it’s fucking gross. It’s gonna take forever to dig through all the DNA profiles we’re gonna get from the samples we take. Also, I’m pretty sure there are diseases in the mattress that are not yet known to modern science. I might end up with a pathogen named after me for discovering it and I’m not even a microbiologist.”

“Gross.” Hyunwoo wrinkled his nose.

Fuck, his head was killing him and his ears were starting to ring. “Yeah. Went round with the blacklight and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a room light up so much. There’s like no part of that room which hasn’t been soaked in body fluids at some point. I just had to step out a sec while they scraped the drains in the bathroom.” He hadn’t drank anything since he woke up that morning. Even then it was just a coffee. Fuck. He was an idiot. How could he have let himself get so dehydrated? Idiot.

“I was gonna come inside and take a look but I don’t think I will now.” Hyunwoo chuckled. 

“How’s Officer Bunny?”

“Doing good. I think he’s getting cabin fever in there, though. I’ll send him some light work to do.”

“I’d have cabin fever too if the majority of my visits were coming from Hyungwon.” Kihyun pulled off his gloves, they’d become so unpleasantly sweaty. He leaned heavily against the wall, vision going a little spotty for a moment. 

“Ki? You ok?” 

There were hands on his shoulders, steadying him. “Just hot.” Kihyun closed his eyes.

“Maybe you should take the suit off.”

“I uh… I haven't drank anything.” When did he end up sitting on the ground? Hyunwoo was pulling his arms out the sleeves of the overalls. 

“What? I thought you were supposed to be smart? Hang on.” Hyunwoo frowned and hurried to his car.

Kihyun took some deep breaths, the ringing in his ears was subsiding a little. He peered around, nobody had noticed his situation. Thank god. 

“Here.” Hyunwoo was back, kneeling in the dust in front of him and helping him drink from a bottle of water. He held it to his lips and placed his hand on the back of Kihyun’s head to guide him. 

Kihyun took some big gulps. “Thanks. Sorry I’m an idiot.” He said eventually. 

“Have some more.” Hyunwoo held up the bottle to his lips again. Kihyun could probably take it and drink it himself, but there was something about tipping his head back and letting Hyunwoo do it for him which he liked. He didn’t mind Hyunwoo seeing that he wasn’t perfect. It was actually liberating to be helped by him. 

He finished the bottle of water, already starting to feel better. 

“Do you want to come sit in the car for a while with the air con running?”

Kihyun shook his head. “I have work to do.”

“I have another bottle of water in there. Come sit in there and drink it, yeah? Otherwise I’ll pick you up and carry you there myself.”

“Fine.” Kihyun huffed.

His legs were a little shaky, but he managed to haul himself to his feet and walk over to Hyunwoo’s car with him. He had to admit, the air con felt amazing as he slumped into the passenger seat. 

“Maybe you should eat this, too.” Hyunwoo dug through the glove box until he found a candy bar.

“Thanks… you shouldn’t have to take care of me like this.”

“And you shouldn’t have had to save me from death by malnutrition. Call us even.”

“First I fall asleep on you while making out in my kitchen and now here I am not even being able to keep myself hydrated. You must be disappointed.” Kihyun looked down at the candy bar.

“Why would I be disappointed?”

“I kinda feel like… with me comes the promise of being some kind of force of nature with an endless supply of capability. Inside my head, yeah that’s kinda the case. My brain doesn’t ever stop, it just needs to learn to prioritise.” He drank some more water and opened the wrapper of the candy bar.

“It’s ok to be like the rest of us mere mortals.”

“Thanks… you should also take your own advice, by the way.”

“I know I’m not capable of being perfect. Far from it.”

“Yeah, actually that’s your problem. You don’t seem to be able to see how good you are.” Kihyun took a bite of the half melted candy bar. 

Eventually, Kihyun was feeling much better and had convinced Hyunwoo to let him get back to work when one of the guys had come looking for him. Hyunwoo had taken even more convincing to go back to the offices.

———

Hyunwoo had sent Hoseok some of the video files as soon as he’d gotten back to his office. After a couple of hours, his phone started buzzing in his pocket. 

“Hello?”

“I-I found Jooheon and on the tapes.” Hoseok rushed out, sounding upset. 

“And?” Hyunwoo had the distinct impression he didn’t want to know.

“He tortured them, Hyunwoo…” 

“What did he do to them?” 

“God, I had to stop going through some of them. It’s Jooheon and another kid. In one he’s smacking the other kid around while Jooheon is stood there looking terrified. He stubs a cigarette out on the kid arm and Jooheon bursts into tears. Then some weeks later h-he’s got Jooheon there and he’s— uh— he’s touching him. The other kid is tied to a chair and he looks like he’s screaming his heart out. Fuck.” Hoseok sounded close to crying himself on the other end of the line. 

Hyunwoo felt sick to his stomach. “I’m sorry you had to see that… shit. Just send over the file numbers.”

“Thank god there isn’t audio. I don’t think I’d have been able to take it… I’ll finish looking through the rest, though.”

“You don’t have to, Hoseok.”

“I want to help. So I’ll do it. They look like they were put through hell, the least I can do is endure these tapes…” 

“Ok but don’t do it if it’s too much.” Because he knew Hoseok was a very sensitive soul, he always had been. 

“I-I gotta go. Sorry.“ He sniffled on the other end of the line. “Nurse is here to change my dressings. I’ll send you time stamps later.”

“Take care and don’t push yourself.”

“Will do.” 

The line went dead and Hyunwoo awaited the file references and timestamps. 

When they arrived, they were every bit as horrible as he’d imagined. It was the camera inside Kim’s personal office. The quality wasn’t great but it was more than enough to see the tears and the anguish. And though it was true there was no audio, he could practically hear the pain ringing in his ears as he watched. 

He wanted to vomit. 

Maybe some people were better off dead. 

No, he couldn’t think like that. That wasn’t how civilised society worked. People couldn’t just run around exacting their own justice. 

But those boys faced a hefty jail sentence if they really did kill Kim. After all he had seemingly done to them. 

But that’s how things worked. It was up to him to enforce the law. That was it. He wasn’t the judge or the jury. This was how justice was. 

____________________  
____________________

**Monday 13th August. 2018.**

Hyunwoo had spent the majority of his morning sending Hoseok the case files, definitely not any more videos, and searching up on any information on Im Changkyun he could possibly find. There was no criminal record associated with someone of that name around the same age and there were no missing person reports that fit, either. He’d have to sort through birth records at this rate. 

His head hurt just thinking about it. He needed to get a positive ID from Minhyuk on the young man in the tapes.

He pulled out Minhyuk’s description. 

_“Short. He’s got a big nose and a pierced eyebrow. Skinny and doesn’t talk much. Got some janky ass tattoos on his hands and arms. A sad face and and some black stars. Edge king kind of stuff.”_

Hyunwoo huffed at Minhyuk’s choice of words and searched for a frame of the tape that gave a clear view of the kid’s face. It had to be Changkyun. 

He looked up from his screen when the office door opened and Kihyun entered, carrying something under his arm, a sheet of paper in his hand and dressed in his lab coat. He looked far more well than he had the previous day at the motel, thank goodness. 

“So, last night I did all the fingerprinting of the pipe and the knife and did all the swabbing. Finally got some results for you. Don’t expect anything tangible from the motel room yet, though. That’s gonna take longer.”

“What did you find?” 

“Minhyuk’s prints are on the knife but they’re under the ones laid down in blood. So whatever happened for there to be blood on it, it’s highly unlikely Minhyuk was in possession of the knife at the time.”

“Oh thank god.” Hyunwoo visibly relaxed. 

“The prints which are on it are a mix of Kim’s, Jooheon’s and our mystery male from the car which I guess we’re thinking is Im Changkyun. The blood is pretty much all Jooheon’s. We got Kim’s DNA on there, too. But it isn’t much, it could be cross-contamination.” 

So that meant the knife was probably used to inflict whatever injury Jooheon had. “And the pipe?”

“I’m pretty sure we got more than enough to say it’s the murder weapon. Hyungwon says the dimensions fit all the bone fractures and external contusions on the victim. It’s heavy so it could easily do that damage. The paint matches the mass spec from the paint flecks imbedded in the wounds. We got Kim’s blood, hair and even other tissue from it and soaked into the surrounding soil. The mystery person’s prints are on it as well as Jooheon’s. Here’s the thing, though…” Kihyun looked down. “We also found Jooheon’s blood. Not a lot but.. yeah, you never know. He coulda ended up on the receiving end go it, too or it could have been from his knife injury.”

“Fuck, we need to find those boys.” He feared desperately for Jooheon’s safety, now. On the bright side, this meant he’d be able to release Minhyuk, especially since he was confident he wouldn’t run. “I’ll put out an alert on the national system to be on the lookout for them. God only knows where they’ll be by now. Assuming Jooheon is still alive.”

“Good plan.” Kihyun looked like he was about to leave but stopped himself. “Oh, this is for you.” Kihyun tossed the item he held under his arm at Hyunwoo.

“Wha—” Hyunwoo caught it and looked at it. A pack of black pillowcases. “Pillowcases? Are we planning on kidnapping someone?”

“Hmmm that does sound like fun.” Kihyun pretended to consider it for a moment. “Not sure who we’d kidnap, though. Rain check on the kidnapping thing but I’ll catch you later. I’ve got a blood, semen and piss stained mattress waiting for me. Junhee might threaten mutiny if I don’t get back in there.”

“Ok, but we didn’t clarify why you were giving me pillowcases.”

“You’ll see.” Kihyun gave a little smirk before he left.

———

Minhyuk was sat on the floor of the holding cell, knees drawn up to his chest. 

“Hey Min…” Hyunwoo cautiously approached. 

“Not gonna send someone else in again, are you? C’mon then, what am I being charged with?” Minhyuk spat like a caged animal, not even looking up at him. 

“I’m releasing you.”

Minhyuk looked up. “What?”

“You’re free to go but you may be required to give witness testimony in court in the future.” He unlocked the cell door. 

Minhyuk scrambled up to his feet and threw his arms around Hyunwoo, almost knocking him off balance. “I knew you’d come through for me! I knew you wouldn’t let me rot in jail!”

“Yeah, yeah. Before you go, I need you to look at this image and tell me if it’s Changkyun.”

Minhyuk released him so he could remove a folded print-out of the young man’s face. 

“Yup. That’s him alright.” Minhyuk confirmed. 

“Thank you, Min. C’mon, you just need to sign your release papers.” He lead Minhyuk out to the booking desk where the younger scrawled his signature over some documents and had his shoes returned to him. Converses which had the sole of one held on with duct tape and mismatched laces. 

He hated that he’d had to keep Minhyuk for two nights but he had to admit, part of him was glad that at least he was safe from the streets in that time. He walked Minhyuk out to the lobby, letting him lean on him to balance when slipping his shoes back on. 

“Remember how you said you wanted desperately to help Jooheon?” Hyunwoo asked suddenly.

“Yeah…?”

“Then you know how I feel. Will you still not let me help you?”

Minhyuk looked down. “I told you a million times that there’s nothing you can do. Besides, I don’t need help… I just need to be left alone.” Minhyuk looked pained. “I think you should forget about me, Hyunwoo. I know my situation troubles you and I’d rather you focus your energy on something else. Your job is already gonna kill you, I’d rather not contribute to your early grave.” He ran his hands through his own hair. “I care about you too much for that, Hyunwoo.”

“Min, your situation isn’t hopeless. Please, let’s try.” Hyunwoo tried desperately. 

“I really do appreciate what you’ve done for me over the years. I honestly do. You’re the only person who’s given a shit about me for so long. Thank you for being someone out there who gives a fuck whether I live or die.” Minhyuk was obviously trying to hold back his tears. “Good luck with your little redhead. He’s got fire in him and he’ll wipe the floor with you if you ever do anything to deserve it, darling. I like that.”

“Minhyuk…”

“See ya ‘round, Officer Son.” Minhyuk turned and started walking away. “Or actually, I guess I won’t! Unless it’s in court!” He called back, not stopping. 

“Min!” 

“Or maybe I’ll be in a body bag! Like you said a while back!” The door rattled closed. 

“Min…”

———

Kihyun was taking a short break when he looked at his phone, seeing a message for Hyunwoo.

**Hyunwoo 5:42pm**  
_Do you still need some shooting practice?_

Kihyun wasn’t going to say no to that.

**Kihyun 6:18pm**  
_Practice makes perfect if I’m not too late to take you up on the offer._

**Hyunwoo 6:20pm**  
_7:30 at the shooting gallery?_

**Kihyun 6:20pm**  
_It’s a date x_

“Hey Junhee! I’m leaving in like an hour so lets get this shit finished, huh?” He pulled his latex gloves back on with a snap.

“Hot date?” His colleague asked from across the room. 

“Yeah he’s showing me how to handle his weapon.”

“Don’t forget to wear protection. A visor is highly recommended, I hear.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be real safe.”

……

“Let’s see what you remember from last time.” Hyunwoo motioned to the firearm set out waiting for Kihyun. 

“I think I remember pretty good.” Kihyun donned the ear defenders and visor over his glasses before picking up the weapon and loading it. 

Hyunwoo stood back, arms folded across his chest as he observed Kihyun take some shots. “Stance is off again.”

“I promise this time it wasn’t on purpose.” Kihyun chuckled and took a few more shots. Not bad shots, but he was no sniper. 

“It’s your shoulders this time.” Hyunwoo placed his broad hands on Kihyun’s shoulders. “They’re so tense, they’re practically up by your ears. If you’re too tense you’re gonna shake.”

“Sorry.” Kihyun relaxed his shoulders down a little. 

“Breathe. Take a deep breath.” 

Kihyun obeyed. Taking a slow breath and squeezing the trigger again. 

“Much better.” 

“I admire you for being able to do this under pressure.”

“It just takes practice.”

“Can I try with one hand? Like in the movies?” Kihyun laughed.

“Nope. Learn to do it properly and then you can do it with style. You can’t do everything at once.”

Kihyun reloaded the weapon and leaned further back into the solid wall of Hyunwoo’s body heat. “But I’m so used to getting what I want.”

“What does getting what you want have to do with doing everything at once?”

“Because I always want everything all the time.” Kihyun’s voice came out low and sultry. He squeezed the trigger, landing the closest to the middle of the target he ever had. 

“I don’t want you hurting your wrist by firing with one hand.” Hyunwoo sounded affected. Excellent.

“Remember I said I have strong wrists?”

“I remember. If you can hit the centre three times with what’s left in that cartridge I’ll let you try with one hand.” Because Hyunwoo knew full well Kihyun wasn’t up to that standard yet. 

Not that his lack of skill stopped Kihyun from trying. He emptied all but one bullet, the closest he got was one falling on the edge of the bullseye. But with the final bullet, he dropped his left hand from the weapon, ready to fire with one hand. 

“No.” Hyunwoo spoke right against the back of his neck, just loud enough to be heard through the ear defenders. Calm but authoritative. It almost make Kihyun weak at the knees. Hyunwoo took his left hand and placed it back up on the gun. 

It took Kihyun’s mind a few seconds to catch up and actually fire the last bullet. Nowhere near the centre of the target because his hands were trembling at this point. 

“Maybe next time.” Came Hyunwoo’s voice again.

Kihyun was burning up. “I think I’m done for today.” He said quickly. How did he become the one so affected?

“Mind if I try?”

“Not at all.”

Kihyun watched Hyunwoo empty cartridge after cartridge into the centre of the targets. Fuck. The look of fine focus yet serene calm on the officer’s face and the controlled skill he demonstrated was practically hypnotising. Kihyun’s eyes shifted over Hyunwoo’s back and the way the strap of his holster stretched over the top of his well fitting white shirt.

It was time to put a stop to this. It was killing Kihyun. 

“I think you should take me home.” He spoke up, putting all his energy into maintain a level voice. 

Hyunwoo turned around, looking a little surprised as he pulled off his ear defenders. “Oh sure. Sorry, do you still not feel well from yesterday? Have you been drinking?”

“For an investigator you sure can be clueless. I meant take me home to your place.” 

The moment Hyunwoo realised exactly what he as getting at was visible on his face. “Oh. Yes. Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure.” Kihyun pulled the visor and ear defenders off, already making his way out of the shooting gallery. Kihyun wasn’t a patient man. Like he said, he wanted everything all the time. Kihyun couldn’t abide waiting. 

……

Kihyun had insisted Hyunwoo not leave the pillowcases in his car, though. They found themselves discarded near the apartment door as soon as they got inside. 

Hyunwoo pressed him up against the wall, want overcoming him. Kihyun had his hand working up and down his thigh the entire drive from work and he thought he might explode at some point. Or crash the car. 

“Fuck.” Kihyun hissed out and melted into the body heat flush against him, like some great tension had released from his body. 

“Kihyun.” Hyunwoo was almost panting already as he mouthed down Kihyun’s throat, causing him to knock the back of his head against the wall with a soft thud. 

The tension returned to the redhead’s body, hands grabbing blindly at the material of Hyunwoo’s shirt and tugging it open violently. The sound of buttons clattering to the floor pierced through the sound of their hot breaths in the air. 

“I’m not paying for the damage.” He ran his hands over Hyunwoo’s bare shoulders, sweeping the fabric away. His dark eyes looking over all the tanned torso he could see with their close proximity. 

“I don’t care.” Hyunwoo broke away for a moment to let his shirt slip entirely off his arms. He quickly brought their lips back together, groaning a little when he felt Kihyun press his hips against his own. Blunt fingernails scraped down his back, making him shiver and dare to nip Kihyun’s lower lip and lick into his mouth. 

Kihyun was allowing himself to be swept away in the feeling, in the closeness, when suddenly Hyunwoo’s hands were on his thighs. He found himself being hiked up to wrap his legs around the taller man’s body. As thrilling as it was to be being manhandled like this and having Hyunwoo’s hardening cock pressed up against him in this position, he wasn’t planning on being fucked against wall tonight. No, that wasn’t what he wanted right now. If Hyunwoo wanted to take him so indelicately he’d have to earn it. Just as he was about to voice that opinion, he was being pulled away from the wall. The sudden movement made him instinctively cling onto Hyunwoo like a koala on a tree. 

Their lips hadn’t parted, though. They stayed connected as Hyunwoo carried him through to the bedroom, his strong hands supporting his body until Kihyun the bed under his back. Looking up at Hyunwoo, his eyes trailed over his torso. Tanned skin stretched tightly over strong muscles. 

He swooped down, hands finding the hem of Kihyun’s t-shirt as he lay there. He kissed at the band of exposed flesh above the younger man’s jeans, stealing Kihyun’s breath away. He pushed the thin fabric higher, following it with his lips as he peppered kisses and licks over each inch of newly exposed skin. 

“You’re so gorgeous.” He murmured between open mouthed kisses across Kihyun’s ribs. 

“I know. But don’t let that stop you. Tell me more.” Kihyun chuckled giddily. 

“You’re perfect, Kihyun. So fucking beautiful.” He kissed up over the redhead’s nipple, finding him to be sensitive there and licking over the hardened nub, making Kihyun whine. It only spurred him on to suck lightly at it for a moment before pushing his t-shirt up further to remove it. 

“Starting to think I’m letting you have too much fun.” Regardless, Kihyun found himself obediently raising his arms over his head to allow Hyunwoo to peel off his t-shirt entirely. 

Hyunwoo’s hands were trembling slightly and Kihyun defiantly noticed. He took one of the other man’s hands and kissed over his palm, nuzzling against it.

“Sorry, I’m nervous.” Hyunwoo huffed out a self deprecating laugh. “It’s been a while and you’re—”

“I’m…?” Kihyun quirked an eyebrow. 

“A little intimidating.” Because Kihyun was always so sure of himself. He always knew what he wanted and how to get it, didn’t he? He seemed like some kind of higher being right now. “Sorry. Ignore me.”

Kihyun pushed gently at Hyunwoo’s chest, making the older panic that he’d made him mad. He shouldn’t have said that, what was wrong with him?

“Let me tell you a little secret, Hyunwoo.” He shifted so they were both up on their knees, bare torsos flush together as Kihyun cupped Hyunwoo’s face. “I’m nervous, too. As you’ve seen, I’m not perfect. The me that people see is 98% front because this what I want them to see.” But not Hyunwoo, he didn’t want to hide behind the veneer for him, as terrifying as that was. He placed a delicate, tender kiss to Hyunwoo’s parted lips. “Don’t be nervous.”

Hyunwoo’s hand slid up the small of Kihyun’s back, fingers naturally rubbing over the bumps and indents of his spine. He relaxed, hands no longer trembling as his nerves abated considerably. He chased the addictive taste of Kihyun’s lips as they moved away, along with the heat of his body. 

Kihyun’s delicate hands tugged at Hyunwoo’s belt until it slid free of it’s loops and ended up discarded on the floor. “I want you.” As if to punctuate his point, Kihyun hooked his finger into the waistband and yanked hard. 

“I’ll give you whatever you want.” 

“Do you have condoms and lube?”

“Yeah.” Hopefully the condoms weren’t expired and hopefully the lube hadn’t dried up a long time ago. 

“Well go on then, I’m not psychic. I don’t know where you keep your sex stuff.” Kihyun chuckled, sitting back on his hunches.

“R-Right! Sorry.” Hyunwoo cursed himself as he hopped up to rummage through his dresser, feeling like possibly the most awkward person on the face of the planet. His face was burning up by the time he finally found a thankfully sealed tube of lube and a condom which wasn't actually expired. He might have cried otherwise. When he turned back around, he almost choked on his own tongue. He was greeted with the sight of Kihyun laying there unashamedly naked and stoking himself with feather light touches. Like he was teasing. All lean and pale skin with slender limbs and a narrow waist. Pretty, angular hip bones and an almost proud expression on his face. What he wouldn’t give to be so bold. 

“Cat got your tongue?” Kihyun cooed, sitting himself up a little and casting his eyes over the items in Hyunwoo’s hands before meeting his eyes in that predatory gaze. “Take off those pants and come lay down.” He scooted further over on the bed, licking his lips as the older practically fell over himself to free himself of his pants and underwear, tossing the supplies onto the bed for Kihyun to snatch possession of. 

“Fuck, Kihyun. You look so stunning.” The words came tumbling out of Hyunwoo’s mouth.

“Baby, I’m gonna have so much fun with you.” Kihyun straddle his lao, pulling him in for a hungry kiss which was all too short when he pushed Hyunwoo’s board shoulders down against the mattress to get him to lay down properly. “Gimmie your hand.” He smirked, sitting up and snapping the cap off the lube. 

Obediently, Hyunwoo offered his hand for Kihyun to squirt some of the lube onto his fingers and spread it around. 

“Hurry up. I like it cold.” 

Feeling a little jittery again, the older reached around with his hand, finding his way to his puckered entrance. He didn’t take his eyes off Kihyun’s face for a single second. He watched how Kihyun looked down at him like a hungry animal. How his lips parted in a short with of his breath when he felt the cold wetness against him. The way his intense eyes fluttered closed when the tip of Hyunwoo’s finger breached past the tight ring of muscle. 

Gorgeous. Beautiful. Perfect. Stunning. Exquisite. Enticing. Captivating. Magnificent. Mesmerising. Radiant. Sinful.

He could have thought of a million more words to describe Kihyun right now. But he was too entranced to speak any of them. He slipped his finger into the tight heat further, watching the reactions move over Kihyun’s sharp but delicate features. 

“Ahh I’m not made of glass.” Kihyun’s eyebrows knit together as he pushed himself down, needing more. 

Hyunwoo let him fuck himself down on his finger a few times before carefully adding another, feeling the tightness and the stretch around him. He was achingly hard, cock twitching in anticipation. He’d give anything to be inside Kihyun. To be one with him. Desperation building and clawing underneath his skin as his eyes drifted down Kihyun’s lithe body. Watching a few drops of sweat make their way down the younger’s chest and wanting to catch them with his tongue. 

“Hyunwoo. God. You cock is gonna feel so good in me. You’ll fill me up so good, won’t you?”

Hyunwoo met the action of Kihyun’s hips, crooking his fingertips up against his prostate and making Kihyun jolt and quiver. 

“Again?”

“Yes.” Kihyun did his best to control his breathing, not wanting to get too carried away. He wasn’t ready to give in entirely. He gyrated his hips as the fingers buried inside him started scissoring, opening him up before pressing into that sensitive spot deep inside again. It was like hot electricity rippling through his lower abdomen and crackling up song his spine. He could feel sweat starting to roll over his skin and his hair starting to cling to his forehead. “Jesus fucking christ.” He panted. He wasn’t going to be able to take much more of this. “Fuck.” 

Kihyun let Hyunwoo finger him open a little longer, riding his fingers with growing impatience. Then he finally reached his limit. 

“That’s enough.” He grabbed the condom as soon as the older’s fingers slipped out of him, making him shiver at the loss of fullness. Scooting back, he stopped when he caught sight of the red line across Hyunwoo’s thigh where the skin had been sutured back together. He took a moment to gently graze his fingers over it. “Is it painful?”

“Not really.” Hyunwoo answered honestly. Sometimes it ached in the morning but generally, it felt ok.

The redhead tore open the condom, pinching the end and rolling it down Hyunwoo’s thick cock, making the man breathe out a moan at the contact. 

“Want me, Hyunwoo?” Kihyun looked over him with half lidded eyes as he positioned himself up over Hyunwoo’s erection and lazily stroked himself, cocking his head for a response. 

“Yes. So badly, Ki. Please.” Hyunwoo had never been above begging. His pride never got in the way and it was just as well. He ran his palms up along Kihyun’s thighs to his waist, worshiping rather than pulling him down or trying to make him move. “I need you.”

“Ah you know just what to say to a boy.” Kihyun preened. Fuck, he really got off on this. Having someone who could easily physically overpower him begging for him. It made him feel powerful and in control. God, the way Hyunwoo was looking at him… simultaneously like a starving man looking at a three course meal and yet like Kihyun was some kind of precious temple artefact to be worshiped. 

Kihyun released his own length and guided himself down on Hyunwoo. The stretch made tears prickle at the corners of his eyes but it felt so good. He only released the breath out of his lungs when he was fully seated, head spinning and giddy. He felt Hyunwoo’s fingertips pressing more firmly into the meat of his thighs, clearly trying to restrain himself from moving. 

“Do I feel good wrapped around you?” Because Kihyun needed to hear it. 

“Yes. So good. You feel perfect. So tight and so hot. You’re burning me up.”

Kihyun began lifting himself and dropping back down, starting up a slow but steady pace as he fucked himself. 

Hyunwoo felt like Kihyun was a fire engulfing him. His intensity and the way his body moved so seamlessly. He couldn’t take his eyes off him, holding his hips to support him and take some of his weight but letting him move at his own pace, completely at the redhead’s mercy. Even though part of him wanted to see Kihyun completely let go. To see that final bit of control over himself slip away into the searing air around them. 

Kihyun started rolling his body in slow, torturous motions. Enough to feel good but not enough to get Hyunwoo any closer to his climax. “Fuck, it’s good to watch you writhe against the sheets like this, Hyunwoo.” He groaned, head tipping back. 

“Kihyun, please… you’re killing me.”

“I can keep this pace all night if I want to. What you gonna do about it?” Kihyun grinned widely. It was a lie, though. He couldn’t do it all night, he was going absolutely insane. Teasing both of them. He’d had his fun, though. Now hopefully Hyunwoo would do what he wanted and take the reins he’s offering. “You say you want me so bad? Fucking take me, then.”

Before he knew it, Kihyun got his wish. Hyunwoo lifted him up easily and shoved him down onto the mattress on his back. “You’re a tease, Yoo Kihyun.”

“You love it.” Kihyun said smugly. 

Hyunwoo couldn’t argue with that. He hiked Kihyun’s legs up around his waist, being heavy handed but also having he curtesy to not hurt the younger man’s hips or back. 

He pushed all the way into him on one fluid motion, drawing out a beautiful surprised noise from Kihyun. He fucked him slow and deep, watching how Kihyun began to unravel at the seams. 

“Fuck! Fuck me h-harder.” Kihyun threw his head back in ecstasy. He was both divine and demonic all at once and it made Hyunwoo sweat just to see him like this.

Kihyun moved to stroke himself but Hyunwoo batted his hand away. 

“No. Let me make you come untouched, Ki. Let me make you feel so good.” He lifted Kihyun’s legs up higher around him, his own thigh starting to ache. He ignored it, giving Kihyun what he wanted and fucking into him harder. “Let me take care of you.”

Whatever sounds flew past Kihyun’s lips were a mix of garbled nonsense and near-screams. His hands grabbed desperately at any of Hyunwoo’s skin he could reach. He’d try to grip on but lose friction with the sweat on both of them, so he dug his fingernails in to find desperate purchase. His attempts left angry lines across Hyunwoo’s shoulders, chest and arms. 

Kihyun had finally given himself over entirely for the first time in his life. Sex had never felt so intense until now and it was enough to turn his brain into soup. He felt almost drunk.

Finally, Kihyun settled for twisting his fists into the bedsheets. His vision suddenly turned to stars and the building pleasure in his body released like a firework, setting his nerves alight as he came in hot white ropes across his own stomach. 

The sensation of Kihyun’s body contorting and spasming around him tipped Hyunwoo off the edge with him. “Kihyun!” He bucked his hips forward one final time, releasing Kihyun’s hips to brace himself when he fell forward onto his elbows over him. 

They eyes met, faces a breath apart. A blissful moment floated through the room as they caught their breath. Kihyun was wide eyed, looking utterly fucked out as Hyunwoo stared in adoration. He leaned down to place a tender kiss to the corner of the redhead’s mouth as the younger man panted for breath. 

“You’re beautiful.” Hyunwoo whispered.

Kihyun couldn’t speak, still gathering his mind back together. He just ran his hand apologetically down an especially nasty scratch mark over Hyunwoo’s shoulder. 

“It’s ok.” Hyunwoo smiled and sat back, pulling out of him carefully and disposing of the condom. 

Kihyun lay there feeling like his body was floating away from him. He closed his eyes, only vaguely aware of the air conditioner whirring to life and sending a cold breeze over his hot, damp skin and making him shiver. He was trying to reassemble some coherent thoughts. 

Kihyun groaned when he felt a wet cloth cleaning over his stomach to wash the come way. It moved between his legs to clear away the excess lube left behind. His eyes felt too heavy to open. He let himself be picked up like a rag doll and placed gently back down with the sheets over him. 

“Tell me if you’re too warm or too cold. I put the air conditioner on.” He heard Hyunwoo speak softly into his ear. 

“Mmm…” Then he realised something, sitting up abruptly. “You got those pillowcases?”

“Yeah… uh, they’re still by the door.” Hyunwoo looked surprised and confused. 

Kihyun moved to get up but his wobbly legs almost sent him crumpling to a heap on the floor. 

“Hey there!” Hyunwoo laughed and pulled him back onto the bed by his waist. “What you doing? You wanna shower or something?”

“Too tired to shower. I wan gonna put the pillowcases on so my hair dye won’t stain your pillows. It kinda does that when it’s fresh.”

“Wait, so you gave me those because you were so sure you’d be sleeping in my bed?” Hyunwoo laughed. “How presumptuous of you.” 

“I wasn’t wrong.” Kihyun pointed out indignantly. 

“Get comfy.” Hyunwoo placed a kiss on the younger’s forehead and got up to retrieve the pillow cases and change them. “I don’t care if you stain my pillows, by the way.”

“I care. I’m a good houseguest.” He curled himself up in the sheets. “I will totally buy you a new shirt, by the way.” He mumbled. 

“It’s fine.” Hyunwoo climbed into bed along with him and Kihyun instantly wrapped himself around him, seeking out closeness. He kissed the top of the younger’s head tenderly. “I really like you, Kihyun, I hope you know that.”

“I really like you, too.” Kihyun closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber, something which was exceedingly rare for him. The last time he’d slept so deeply was when he’d fallen asleep on Hyunwoo in his kitchen. 

He’d never felt so safe and cared for as he did in Hyunwoo’s arms. It wasn’t a feeling he thought he needed until now.

__________________  
__________________

**Tuesday 14th August. 2018.**

“Hello?” 

Kihyun cracked an eye open to see Hyunwoo sitting half way up with his phone to his ear.

“Where?” He jumped up out of bed, almost falling because of the way the sheets were tangled around his legs and taking them off with him.

Kihyun stretched out across the mattress, not caring about his nakedness as he squinted at the clock. 6:32am. Hyunwoo motioned an apology and pulled the blankets back over Kihyun for him.

“I’m leaving right now.” Hyunwoo ended the call.

“What was that?” Kihyun croaked, rubbing his face to wake himself up a little. 

“Im Changkyun was arrested just out of Daejeon. They pulled him over for a random breathalyser but he was driving without a license. When they searched the vehicle they found an unregistered firearm stashed in the glove box.”

“Oh shit. And Jooheon?”

“He was alone. Apparently he won’t answer any questions. They got our notification we sent out nationally to be on the lookout and so they asked him about Jooheon abut he said nothing. I’m gonna go down there.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I want to. Let me. Please? Junhee can manage, he’ll probably be glad to get rid of me for a day.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So will they finally have Changkyun in their grasp? What about Jooheon? :0  
Also, I do love me a good cameo. Park Junhee guest starring ahaha!
> 
> ____  

> 
> **NEXT TIME:**   
_“My name is Son Hyunwoo and I’m an investigator. I wanted to talk to you about Lee Jooheon.”_
> 
> _Changkyun was tragically young, Hyunwoo thought. He probably wasn’t even out of his teens, yet. The kid sat there silently, a harsh yet vacant stare. He looked exhausted, utterly worn down. Simultaneously younger and older than his years._
> 
> ___
> 
> **ANNOUNCEMENT:** You may have noticed we now have the final number of chapters revealed! Two more chapters of main storyline and then an epilogue! But never fear! There will then be a short break and then another series showing the story from the side of Jooheon, Changkyun and a bit more of Minhyuk!
> 
> **IN OTHER NEWS:** My brain chemistry seems to be finally balancing out after my medication change so hopefully soon we’ll be back to the Sunday upload schedule! My ability to focus is still not great but getting much better! Managed to get this one out a little early as I won’t be around this weekend :D


	10. Constriction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _His chest hurt. _
> 
> _Fuck fuck fuck fuck. _
> 
> _The world was spinning out of control and his lungs felt like they might explode right inside him. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **WARNINGS:** In this chapter we have a rather detailed description of extreme fear and panic associated with claustrophobia. There are also references to past abuse.

**Tuesday 14th August. 2018.**

Hyunwoo and Kihyun had stopped twice for coffee on the way to the small neighbourhood police station on the edge of Daejeon where Changkyun was being held. It was a pretty fair drive away, and so Kihyun had grabbed up a variety of snacks for the journey. 

“So Kim was hurting them in front of each other? That’s fucked up.” Kihyun rummaged through his haul of snacks. 

“Yeah, a bit more than that, even. I’m really not looking forward to this questioning because I’m gonna have to probably bring him back to Seoul.”

“Hmm and of one of them killed him we’re talking a life sentence, right?”

“Yeah… but we don’t know for sure if it was them yet. You said it yourself, don’t assume, let the evidence speak. As it stands it’s not enough to convict.” But Hyunwoo knew it was likely the other wet of DNA and prints would match Changkyun’s. 

“Yeah but I’d be shocked if I run Changkyun’s prints and DNA and the whole system doesn’t light up.”

“Yeah… guess I should take the fact Minhyuk looks to be in the clear and focus on that as the bright side.” Ah, Minhyuk, who apparently didn’t want to see him again. Hyunwoo reached and sipped his coffee before replacing it back into the cup holder, wondering what Minhyuk was doing right now. 

“I gotta admit, it's tough seeing the human side of things. I really didn’t think it would be, I don’t know how you do it. I’m usually pretty separated from it. It isn’t people, it’s test tubes, samples, numbers and stuff under a microscope to me. It must be hard for you to always see the human faces.” Kihyun looked over at him. 

“It is…” Hyunwoo admitted. 

“So don’t shoulder all the emotional burden yourself. Let me help.”

“Thank you, Ki. Really.” Hyunwoo swallowed. 

A few beats passed by. “I… I just wanted to say that I meant what I said about really liking you.” Kihyun swallowed hard. “I kinds wanted to say it again so you knew I wasn’t just saying it back cos you said it and we’d had sex. I get the impression you might be the type to convince yourself my reciprocation wasn’t genuine.” He looked down at his own hands folded in his lap. “This whole thing is kinda rare for me and I just wanna make sure we’re on the same page. I’m usually too emotionally stunted but you’ve somehow broken through that.” It was scary but thrilling. 

“I’m on the page where I care for you a lot and uh… god, I want to… uh— you and me… ugh. I sound like a teenager. Gimmie a sec.” Hyunwoo cringed at himself. 

“You’re so cute.” Kihyun laughed, a wide grin on his face. “Take your time.”

Hyunwoo took a deep breath. “Ok, so I want to actually date you. Like officially. I don’t know if you’re into labels but it would just make me feel… secure? Like I’ll know exactly where I stand. That’s my page.”

“Son Hyunwoo, are you asking me to be your boyfriend?”

“Yes? I think so.”

“On one condition.” Kihyun tried to keep his expression neutral. 

“Oh?”

“You help me eat some of this junk food before I end up eating it all and have a stroke from all the sodium. I’ve never eaten so much crap than I have over the last couple of days thanks to you.” He waved the bag of food around for effect. 

Hyunwoo burst out laughing. “Sounds fair, I accept your terms.”

“Great. So Mr Boyfriend, you want BBQ or honey butter chips? I’m saving the Doritos for the way back.” Kihyun thought he might have a problem in using such a label again but Hyunwoo really was good at pulling down things he thought about himself. A label wasn’t important to him to feel secure, but he was comfortable enough with the idea that if that’s what Hyunwoo needed then it was fine by Kihyun. 

“BBQ. Is that even a question?” Hyunwoo was still laughing to himself. Kihyun loved his laugh.

……

When they arrived at the station, they had to park across the street and down a short way. When they got inside, they were shown the only interview room in the place. It was where Changkyun was being kept. He must have been left in there for hours. 

Kihyun took a seat outside and left Hyunwoo to go in. 

Hyunwoo pushed the door open carefully, seeing the young man sat handcuffed to the table. He’d had black hair on the tapes but now it was a brassy bleached blonde. “My name is Son Hyunwoo and I’m an investigator. I wanted to talk to you about Lee Jooheon.”

Changkyun was tragically young, Hyunwoo thought. He probably wasn’t even out of his teens, yet. The kid sat there silently, a harsh yet vacant stare. He looked exhausted, utterly worn down. Simultaneously younger and older than his years. 

“Can you help me out? He’s a missing person and I think you might know him. Have you heard his name before?”

More silence.

Hyunwoo took a seat and heard the kid’s stomach growl. “Has anyone offered you food?”

The kid didn’t move for a moment before shaking his head no.

“I’m afraid all I can offer is some Doritos right now.” Hyunwoo offered gently, thinking back to the remaining snacks in the car. Surely Kihyun wouldn’t mind. 

Changkyun just stared down at the tabletop.

“It isn’t a trap or anything, you just look tired and hungry. I only wish I had something more I can offer.” He took out his phone and text Kihyun to grab the bag of chips from the car and bring them in. “I’ll get my colleague to bring some along anyway, yeah?” Because the kid looked like he hadn’t had a meal in a long time. A snack was better than nothing, he supposed. 

Changkyun scratched at his arms a little nervously. He looked uncomfortable.

Hyunwoo placed the photograph of Jooheon on the table in the kid’s eye line. “This is him. Do you recognise him at all? He’d be a few years older than this, now.”

“I don’t know a Lee Jooheon.” His voice was far deeper than Hyunwoo expected, but quiet as he looked away from the photograph. Now fixing his gaze on the ceiling tiles instead. 

“No? Well, let’s talk about you. Where are you from?”

Silence again. 

“Do you know who Lee Minhyuk is?” A different strategy. Maybe that would get a reaction.

Silence. Changkyun continued to simply stare upwards. 

“Why did you leave Seoul so suddenly?”

More silence.

“Do you know of a Mr Kim?”

Silence still, but something in the kid’s posture and expression changed. His shoulders tensed a little and his lips pressed together in a tight line. 

Just then, Kihyun knocked and peeped around the door, holding out the bag of Doritos. Hyunwoo took them and brought them back over to place them in front of the young man. “Here. Take them.” 

“I’ll be out here.” Kihyun motioned before closing the door again, disappearing back out into the corridor. 

Hyunwoo watched as Changkyun suddenly tore the bag open and shoved a handful of Doritos in his mouth. He must have been so hungry. The officer’s heart hurt as the kid practically inhaled half the contents of the bag. As he did, Hyunwoo looked at the tattoos visible on his arms. They looked like he might have done them himself, they mostly consisted of small black stars in random places. They seemed to sit over small dents in his skin. He tried to work out why they’d be like that, but then he saw a healing cigarette burn. It was probably the one he acquired on the tape. Hyunwoo instantly made the connection, the small self-inflicted tattoos covered scars from similar cigarette burns and probably similar injuries of abuse. 

One other tattoo caught his eye, though. It was different to the rest. Slightly bigger and laid down in healthy, unscarred skin. It was just visible under the short sleeve of his t-shirt. A smiling bumblebee which was doodled into his upper arm.

He noticed Changkyun had stopped eating before the bag was empty. “You can finish them, it’s fine.”

“Can I… keep the rest for later?” The kid asked.

Why would he not just eat them now if he was so hungry? Unless, of course, he intended to share them with someone else. Hyunwoo took it as a ray of hope that Jooheon was still alive at least. “Of course you can.”

“Thank you…” Changkyun doled up the top of the bag and placed it away from himself, eyes drifting to Jooheon’s photograph.

“Can I ask how old you are?”

“Nineteen.”

Fuck. He really was young. Almost a child, really. But old enough to be put to trial as an adult. “Look… I’m gonna be honest with you. Jooheon is a missing person and you’re the last person he was seen with. Can you at least give me an indication that he’s ok? At this time it’s his welfare  
I’m more concerned about than anything else. I don’t care about that firearm you had in the car.”

Changkyun was fidgeting in his seat but still didn’t give an answer. 

“Could you give me any indication as to where he is and if he’s ok? Please? He might need help, right?”

“....He’s in one piece. Ok is a strong word. But I don’t know where he is right now because I’m in here. I need to find him.”

“Are the two of you friends?” Hyunwoo asked. 

Changkyun looked down. “You could say that.”

“More than friends?”

Changkyun nodded. “He’s my… reason to live. I’d do anything for him. Anything.” With the look in his eye, Hyunwoo truly believed it. 

“Do you have a contact number for him?”

“Neither of us have phones.” Changkyun looked like he was just about managing to hold together the broken pieces of himself. His eyes seemingly on the brink of tears. Hyunwoo believed the him when he said he didn’t know exactly where Jooheon was and that they didn’t have phones. He seemed genuinely distressed by being separated from him. 

But Hyunwoo had to continue with the questioning. “Can you tell me what you know about Mr Kim?”

“Nothing.” Changkyun frowned. 

“Nothing at all?”

“I said nothing!” He snapped. 

“Did he hurt Jooheon?” 

Changkyun looked like he was about to burst into tears. “Can I please leave if you aren’t going to charge me for having the gun? It isn’t even mine, I swear it.”

“What happened, Changkyun? What did Kim do to you both? Does Jooheon need help? I can see you care about him very much. You have to think what’s best for him right now.” Hyunwoo tried to appeal to him. 

“I do care about him. So fucking much… but everything’s fucked up. I don’t know what to do. I’m so fucking scared.” Tears started to leak down Changkyun’s cheeks. 

“Let me help you both. When did you last see Jooheon?”

“Yesterday. I told him to keep running if I didn’t come back. I-I was trying to find someone to sell me antibiotics at the hospital when I was pulled over.” He admitted. 

“He needs antibiotics?”

“Y-Yeah. We got some from but he ran out and he’s getting sick again.” Changkyun elaborated. 

“You told him to keep running, what are you running from?”

Changkyun clammed up at that, going back to not responding. 

“Changkyun, why are you running?”

Changkyun didn’t answer another single question after that. He just switched off, his expression blank like his mind had left his body completely. 

Even when Hyunwoo practically pleaded with him, he still didn’t give a response. 

Hyunwoo sat back in defeat. “I’m sorry… but we’ll have to take you back to Seoul for further questioning, Changkyun.”

That snapped Changkyun out of it. “No! Please. I need to find Jooheon!”

“We’ll find him and make sure he’s ok. I need to question you further about Kim as we found his body a few weeks ago and you’ll need legal representation present. I really need you to cooperate with us on this.”

Changkyun’s eyes widened in panic as he scrambled up from the table, clearly in his panic forgetting he was handcuffed to it. He yelped in pain as the movement jarred his wrist. 

“Hey, please don’t hurt yourself.” Hyunwoo tried to calm the young man. Sometimes he truly hated his job. This was uncomfortably reminiscent of his first arrest. He unfastened the handcuff from the table and brought it to fasten around Changkyun’s other wrist out in front of him. 

Changkyun just crumpled to the floor, tears bursting out and spilling down his face. “Please make sure he’s ok if you find him.” He sobbed, sounding so defeated, like the last drop of fight had just left him. “He needs help but I can’t give it to him. His arm g-got fucked up, I wanna take him to a hospital but I can’t!” 

Past the dark circles under his eyes which aged him, Changkyun looked like exactly what he was. He was a terrified child who was in so far over his head, separated from somebody who meant the world to him. He looked so fucking vulnerable. 

“I promise I’ll make sure he’s safe.” Hyunwoo gently brought Changkyun to his feet. “Let’s go.” 

Changkyun took the photograph of Jooheon from off the table and clutched it close to his chest before he was lead out. Hyunwoo sure as hell wasn’t going to take it away from him. He already felt bad enough. 

He lead a handcuffed Changkyun out to the hallway to where Kihyun was waiting. “We going back to Seoul.”

Kihyun followed along as they walked out and Hyunwoo sat the young man in the back of the car, still clinging to the photograph for dear life. He was muttering apologies between broken sobs, the tough exterior he’d had before was completely shattered. 

Kihyun looked at the broken expression on Changkyun’s face in the rear view mirror as he settled himself in the passenger seat. Sometimes Kihyun had been accused of heartlessness, but it wasn’t true. He genuinely felt for this kid. This was the human face of everything they did, it was hard to look at. If he himself had gone through what those two clearly had, he probably would have killed the fucker at the first opportunity. Maybe a judge would go easy on them if one of them really did kill Kim.

“Ki, are you gonna be ok here a sec? I just need to go sign some papers.” Hyunwoo asked. 

“Sure but gimme the keys so I can turn on the air con.”

Hyunwoo locked the doors in case Changkyun decided to run and handed Kihyun the keys through the open window. “I’ll be two minutes.”

“Sure.” Kihyun leaned over to the ignition as Hyunwoo hurried inside. He wasn’t complacent, though. He kept a good eye on the kid in the back seat. Didn’t look like he was gonna try anything. Besides, he was handcuffed anyway. 

Kihyun was suddenly startled by a tapping on the window. When he looked, there was a young man knocking at the window with his left hand, the right tucked up against his body protectively and bandaged. Kihyun recognised him instantly. That dimpled face had barely changed since the picture had been taken of him as a teenager. Just more tired and pale now. It was Lee Jooheon. 

“Jooheon!” Changkyun frantically tried the door handle, but of course it was locked. “Unlock the doors!” He lunged forward, grabbing for the keys. 

The action caught Kihyun so off guard that Changkyun was able to snatch the keys from him, even with his hands cuffed. Kihyun tried to grab them back but Changkyun had already unlocked the doors and pretty much flown right out of the vehicle.

Kihyun shot out of the car, pulling Changkyun back by the fabric of his T-shirt. He couldn’t let him get away. They might never find them again if they escaped now. 

“Let go!” Changkyun yelled and kicked at Kihyun’s shin hard enough to break free. “Do you have a car?” He asked Jooheon urgently. 

“No, I came on foot. Saw them stop you and I’ve been waiting out here. This was the closest station.” 

“Then we’re taking this one. You’ll have to drive until we get these cuffs off me.” Changkyun passed Jooheon the keys. 

“Oh no you don’t!” Kihyun grabbed at Jooheon, shoving him against the car to try and take the keys back. Jooheon was bigger than him but was easy to immobilise in his weakened state. Just as Kihyun’s hand touched the keys, he felt the thin but strong chain connecting the handcuffs together being pulled up around his neck. Not enough to choke but enough to pull him away from Jooheon. 

Fuck. This was bad. Maybe he could at least stall until Hyunwoo came back out. “You’re Jooheon, yeah? You look really sick. You need medical attention. Can I see where you’re injured?”

Jooheon looked sceptical for a moment, eyes obviously flicking to Changkyun’s and back to Kihyun before holding out his right arm. It was bandaged but Kihyun could see it still oozing blood. There was redness and inflammation above and below where the bandage ended. 

“It’s probably infected. It needs to be washed out properly. You’re going to develop sepsis otherwise, it could kill you.” Kihyun warned. 

“You know what you’re talking about?” Changkyun suddenly asked from behind. 

“I have some medical training, yeah. But I don’t need that to know he needs urgent treatment. You guys can’t stay on the run like this. What’s the point in freedom if it kills him?”

Changkyun suddenly yanked the handcuffs tighter around his neck, the chain bit into his throat, cutting off his air. “Then you’re coming with us. You can fix him up.” 

Kihyun tried to scream, to protest, but he couldn’t shift any air out of his lungs to make a sound. He tried not to struggle or panic but found himself being dragged to the back of the vehicle. Fuck, his lungs were on fire as he tried to get Changkyun to let up on him so he could breathe.

“Open the trunk, Jooheon. We can’t have him on the back seat.”

What? No, not the trunk. Kihyun’s mind kicked over into terror at the prospect of being in such an enclosed space. His struggling only increased, feeling the chain biting into the delicate skin of his throat as he tried to pull himself away. The more he struggled and kicked out, the more his airway was compressed as Changkyun struggled to keep a him in place. Kihyun didn’t care that his desperate struggling was probably damaging the structures in his neck. Even if the chain cut clean through his jugular or just plain choked him to death it was still better than being locked in that trunk.

“Fuck, quit kicking!” He heard Changkyun’s voice again. He was yanked around harshly as the young man tried to force him into the now open trunk.

“Changkyun, someone’s gonna see us.” Jooheon tried to grab Kihyun’s legs. 

He heard more frantic yelling. He couldn’t make it out, though. The world was fading out to black, fuzzing out from the edges as his brain became starved of oxygen. 

Then there was nothing as he slipped into unconsciousness. His body slumped limply in Changkyun’s arms. 

“Help me get him in the trunk.”

“Changkyun, this is really bad. What will we do with him then?”

“Just hurry, before that cop comes back!”

__________________  
__________________

Hyungwon was perched on the edge of Hoseok’s hospital bed, his hair had become a bit too long and so he’d taken to wearing a thin silver headband to keep it out his eyes. 

The pair were sipping tea and sharing clementine segments with each other. Hyungwon meticulously picking off the pieces of white pith. 

“Your hair looks cute, by the way.” Hoseok smiled sweetly.

“Oh, I forgot to take the hairband off. Sorry. I’ve been wearing it while working.” He moved to take it off.

“Leave it in. I like seeing all of your face.”

“I thought maybe it looks dumb.” Hyungwon pushed his glasses back up his face, the constant battle of keeping the things where they should be. 

“It doesn’t look dumb at all.” 

Hyungwon ate a pithless clementine segment and began working on the next piece. “Hey, so I know that you’re dying to get out of here… they will probably keep you longer because you live alone, correct?” It hadn’t escaped his notice that Hoseok had received no visits from family.

“Uh yeah. I don’t have much contact with my family so… yeah. Guess I’ll just have to suck it up and do my best to get better quickly.”

“Well I was thinking… I don’t mind if you’d like to stay with me while you recuperate once they’re happy. O-Or if you’d rather be in your own home I could be there to make sure you’re ok. I know I’m not a medial doctor but my medical knowledge is more than sufficient to ensure you’re safe and well. That way you’ll be able to get out of here faster.”

“Oh Hyungwon I couldn’t ask you to do that for me! I wouldn’t want to be an inconvenience.”

“I honestly don’t mind. Besides, if inconveniencing me is your concern, it would actually be more convenient than me coming all the way here to visit you. Not that I mind coming here. I like to see you. So please consider my offer.” 

“Thank you Hyungwon… I will consider it.” Hoseok smiled

Hyungwon just shrugged and popped the last segment of the clementine between his lips.

“Hey that was the last one.” Hoseok put on a fake hurt face. 

Hyungwon just blinked at him, trying to work out if it was a joke or not. The piece of fruit remained poking out from between his lips. 

Hoseok chuckled and leaned forward, binging his index finger to the underside of Hyungwon’s chin. “Will you share it?”

Hyungwon nodded dumbly, his face starting to turn pink. Then, Hoseok leaned in and bit off the half of the segment poking out of Hyungwon’s mouth. Their hips touched ever so briefly and when Hoseok sat back to chew swallow the clementine piece, Hyungwon’s cheeks were bright red and his eyes wide. 

The pathologist swallowed the remaining half a segment, still staring wide eyed. “That… didn’t seem a very sanitary way to share.”

“Sorry.” Hoseok apologised. Maybe he should have asked permission for that. “Does that mean you wouldn’t like it if I kiss you? I won’t if you don’t want me to, but… I’d really like to.”

Hyungwon didn’t know if he’d like it or not. He hadn’t ever kissed somebody before. It never appealed to him. It seemed like a really weird thing to do, to press your mouth against somebody else’s. He didn’t understand what people got from it, other than contamination with whatever pathogens the other person was harbouring in their respiratory tract. He never thought it would be something he enjoyed. Not that he’d ever managed to get close enough with somebody that they’d want to kiss him either. 

But if anyone would be pleasant to kiss, it would be Hoseok. “You can kiss me.” He did hope the older didn’t want to put his tongue in his mouth, though. That might be one new experience too far at this point. 

Hoseok smiled again and leaned forward again. He slowly brushed his lips lightly against the younger’s, testing the waters. Then, he pressed their lips together in a chased closed mouth kiss. 

Hyungwon’s eyes fluttered closed. It should have felt weird, but it didn’t. It felt nice. Warm and tender. It gave him butterflies in his stomach and made his heart skip a beat. It was like the way Hoseok made him feel every time he would smile at him, only tenfold. 

Hoseok pulled away and ran his hand through Hyungwon’s hair tenderly. “Was it ok?”

“Yeah… it was.” Hyungwon gave a slightly embarrassed smile, feeling a little giddy. He just had his first kiss. Not that he’d be telling Hoseok that. It probably wasn’t socially acceptable to be so inexperienced at his age. 

Of course, Hoseok would at some point expect him to go much further than a simple kiss. The thought gave him a knot of anxiety in the pit of his stomach. Maybe he should prepare for that by doing some research on the subject matter. 

“You’re so handsome when you blush.” Hoseok beamed. “Well, you’re always handsome. But even more handsome when you’re blushing.”

Hyungwon was preparing to say something when Hoseok’s phone interrupted them. Hyunwoo’s name coming up on the caller ID.

“Go ahead. It’s probably important.” Hyungwon prompted. 

“Sorry. I’ll kill him if it’s something dumb.” Hoseok chuckled and answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Hoseok! Hoseok, I fucked up! I’m sorry for calling, I just don’t know what else to do.” Came Hyunwoo’s panicked voice.

Hoseok frowned. “What? Calm down, what happened? Are you still in Daejeon?”

“Y-Yeah, I brought Kihyun with me. We were taking Changkyun back to Seoul and I left him in the car with Kihyun. I didn’t think he’d try anything but I fucking should have known! Now both him and Kihyun are gone and Kihyun isn’t answering his phone. Changkyun must have taken the car, too and I have no idea if Kihyun is with him still or if he’s ok.”

“Holy shit.” Hoseok sat up straighter. 

“He could be dead because I’m a trusting idiot! I’m so fucking stupid. Jesus, he isn’t an officer. I shouldn’t have left him in there alone with a goddamn suspect.” Hoseok had never heard Hyunwoo sound so panicked. 

“Hyunwoo! Listen to me. You’re not stupid. Kihyun is smart. I’m sure he’ll find his way out of any situation. We’ve left each other with suspects before, it’s not—”

“It’s not the same! You and I are trained police officers. I left a civilian with a murder suspect, Hoseok! On top of that, my goddamn gun was in the car.”

Fuck. This really was bad. “Ok, let’s be rational. Changkyun is probably gonna head away from the city, too many eyes and cameras. You can find them.”

Hyunwoo took some deep breaths. “The local officers are out searching, I’m gonna take a squad car, too. Shit. If something happens to him I won’t ever forgive myself. He shouldn’t have even been here with me in the first place. If he’s hurt or worse I’ll—”

“Don’t you dare go there. He’ll be fine. You’ll find him and Changkyun, ok? Shit, I wish I could come out there.”

“What is it? What’s happened?” Hyungwon asked, not liking the half of the conversation he was hearing. 

“One sec.” Hoseok leaned away from the phone. “Kihyun and the suspect Changkyun are missing, he isn’t answering his phone or anything.”

“Oh, that’s bad. Tell him to send Kihyun’s phone number back to the unit, they can track it to a general location as long as it’s transmitting. It may still be with him even if he is unable to answer.”

“Ah! Yes! Hyunwoo, Hyungwon said get them to track Kihyun’s phone back at the unit. Can’t believe I didn’t think of that.”

“I will. Thank you. Hopefully he still has it with him. I gotta go. I’ll call you if— _when_ I find him.” With that, the line went dead. 

“I think I would find it distressing having Kihyun as one of my clients. As much as I admire his beautifully formed zygomatic bones I don’t think I would like to be inspecting them up close for micro trauma, considering if the suspect is the killer, he has penchant for application of blunt force to the head.” Hyungwon looked down.

“Hyungwon, don’t say things like that! He’ll be fine.” Hoseok furrowed his brow. 

“I hope you are correct. I have faith that if anyone will find him quickly, it’s Hyunwoo.”

“The picture I have in my mind of those two kids… I can’t see them hurting Kihyun. I think they were probably just desperate or acting in self defence if they killed Kim.” That scenario was looking increasingly likely. 

“I saw the state of that body, Hoseok. It was one of the most violent attacks I’ve seen in my whole career. He was not just killed, the attack went on after death would have occurred. That’s a lot of aggression.”

“I saw tapes of what he did to them and that was probably only a fraction of it. They’d have been so desperate, Hyungwon. I imagine there was a lot of emotion that come pouring out. Enduring suffering is one thing, but to witness someone you care about suffering… that’s different.”

Hyungwon thought about it. “I don’t know how I’d react in a situation I haven’t encountered before. Abstract thinking isn’t really my thing. But… the thought of somebody hurting you makes me feel emotional. I would probably be very upset and angry, I would also find it very distressing to have you as one of my clients.” Hyungwon held his arms around himself obviously disturbed by the thought, scratching anxiously at his upper arms a little too hard.

Hoseok placed a hand on his shoulder. “… Do you also like my ziggo-whatever bones? Do I need to be jealous?” He asked, trying to bring Hyungwon away from the thought process he was clearly starting. “Wherever that is.” Hoseok patted himself down, not sure which bone he should be pointing to.

Hyungwon noticed him trying to find where his zygomatic arches were. “Zygomatic.” He said slowly, hoping he didn’t sound condescending. “They’re here.” He poked both Hoseok’s cheekbones. “I like them, I like a lot of your anatomical features.” Hyungwon took Hoseok’s hand and turned it over and ran his index finger down the middle of his wrist. 

“You checking if I’m alive?”

“I’m not palpating for your radial pulse, that’s over here.” He pressed his finger against the steadily beating pulse point before moving back to the middle of his wrist, running it up the length of a tendon. “I really like your palmaris longus. Here it is, between your flexor carpi radialis and flexor carpi ulnaris. Not everyone has it. It has no real use and is absent in a certain percentage of the population, but varies depending on ethnicity. For example it is absent in up to a quarter of the population in Asia.” Hyungwon turned his own hand over and flexed his wrist while touching his fourth finger and thumb together to make it sand out. “I have it, too. Yours is especially nice, though. I don’t know why, I just like it.”

Hoseok bumped their foreheads together. “I was just gonna say I like your eyes.”

“Similarly I like yours but have no desire to see any of it without you having a pulse.” He couldn’t help thinking about when he thought Hoseok would possibly die from his injuries. 

“I don’t plan on stoping having a pulse any time soon. Same goes for Kihyun. I have faith.”

Hyungwon nodded. 

____________________  
____________________

When Kihyun opened his eyes he was met with darkness. 

Complete darkness. 

He was confused and disorientated. It took a few moments to work out he could barely move, trapped in a confined space. 

His chest and throat tightened up. 

Icy cold panic flooded him. No, not panic. Panic didn’t go far enough to even begin to describe what Kihyun was feeling. It was terror. 

This was his worst nightmare come to life. He remembered what had happened, that he must be in the trunk of the car. It didn’t feel like the engine was running, though. Had they abandoned him there?

He frantically moved his arms around as much as he could, searching for a way out. He felt like he was choking and he was already pouring with sweat, his entire body shaking and jittery as the unbridled fear began to take him over. 

He couldn’t afford to lose it. 

He tried to tell himself to calm down. To ground himself and focus on something. 

Anything. 

Voices. He could hear voices. 

He honed in on them, concentrating on what they were saying. His heart was still hammering away like it too was trying to break free. 

“We’re screwed, we have to let him out at some point. They’ll arrest us for kidnapping and it’s only a matter of time before they have us for murder, too.” It sounded like Jooheon. 

“He can help you. You need medical attention. I’ll make him do it.” A second, lower voice said. Changkyun. 

“And then what? What do we do with him then? This is getting so crazy. Minhyuk was right.” Jooheon sounded like he was on the edge of tears. 

“Just let me think! Fuck!” A loud noise, probably Changkyun kicking the car, was followed by a long pause. “I’m so sorry Joo... I fucked up so badly. I just wanted us to have a life… I don’t know what we’re gonna do now...”

If he could hear them then they’d be able to hear him. “Please! Please l-let me out! You can d-do what you want with me just please let me out!” He tried to scream but his voice was rough and horse from the strangulation. It hurt like his throat was full of broken glass. He genuinely didn’t care what happened to him in that moment. Even if they opened the trunk and killed him it would be better than staying in here. 

“He’s awake!” There was a sound on the outside of the trunk and briefly Kihyun thought they were going to open it. 

“No! Wait! We can’t let him out yet. We don’t know what we’re gonna do with him!”

Kihyun tried to plead with them again but his voice was so choked off that his words completely died into desperate sobs. 

His chest hurt. 

Fuck fuck fuck fuck. 

The world was spinning out of control and his lungs felt like they might explode right inside him. 

“We can’t leave him in there. He’s freaking out!” 

The rest of the conversation disappeared behind the rushing in Kihyun’s ears as he desperately tried to claw at anything his restricted hands could to try and escape. His terrified mind was hell bent on him ripping his way out of there with his bare hands even if it wore his fingers down to the bone. He had to get out. Had to escape by any means necessary. 

He couldn’t breathe. 

He couldn’t fucking breathe.

Like something invisible was crushing him. 

No, like there was no air to breathe. 

No matter how rapidly his chest rose and fell it didn’t feel like any oxygen was getting into his lungs. He felt sick, on the edge of vomiting. Tears were streaming down his face and his clothes were completely saturated with sweat. The material cling to his body, making him feel even more compressed and trapped. 

Kihyun didn’t know how much time passed when suddenly the trunk opened. Even though he was temporarily blinded by sunlight, he somehow managed to throw his body out of the trunk onto the ground. It took every ounce of horrific, manically terrified energy to do so and his limbs wouldn’t coordinate enough to scramble away. So he lay in a shaking heap in the dirt, gasping desperately to catch his breath and crying pathetically. 

There was scuffling around him. To his left, he was vaguely aware of a hand on his shoulder. 

“You ok man?” Jooheon?

“Fuck. He’s not gonna be any help, Joo.”

There was scuffling. Jooheon fell to his knees in Kihyun’s periphery. 

“Fucking hell, baby. You’re really sick.” 

“Just dizzy…” Jooheon was culled back top to his feet. 

“You need to go to a fucking real doctor. Come on, get back in the car. I’ll drive but I need you to shift gear for me.”

Kihyun’s head was still spinning. He was trying to will his stomach to settle, his throat already hurt enough without vomiting. 

“But what about him?"

“Jooheon, we have to go. Come on. He’ll be fine.” 

“He’s not fine, look at him. He’s bleeding!”

“I know baby but we need to go. You’re not ok either and you’re more important. Please, we have to keep moving. He’ll be able to call for help. I shoulda gotten you real help in the first place, so pease just get in the car.”

“I’m sorry, man.” He felt Jooheon’s hand on his shoulder again. 

“Here.” Kihyun’s phone landed in the dust in front of him and was followed swiftly by the sound of the car driving away. 

It took Kihyun a while to calm himself enough to organise his thoughts into something coherent. 

Help. 

He needed help. 

He needed to call Hyunwoo. 

When he reached out for the phone he noticed there was blood on his hands. 

Blood from where? 

It didn’t matter. Shakily, he unlocked the device. There were 31 missed calls from the man. He hit call. 

Hyunwoo picked up the phone instantly. 

“Kihyun! Thank god! Where are you?”

“H-Hyunwoo? Please. Please help me.” He sobbed into the phone, rolling over onto his back. His voice was jagged, barely sounding like his own. His throat felt narrow and it hurt so much to speak. 

“It’s ok, I’m coming. Do you know where you are?” Hyunwoo had to do his best to sound calm. 

Kihyun looked around. He was in the middle of nowhere. Not unlike the grassland off stretch of road where Kim’s body was found. “I-I don’t know. There’s nothing a-around. No road. I-I dont think” His words disappeared back into anguished crying. He was pathetic. Begging for help, laying in a heap on the ground and drowning in his own tears and sweat. The dirt clung to his wet skin and clothes, making him feel constricted. 

He felt ashamed. A grown man with such an irrational fear, rendered completely useless by it. He disgusted himself. 

“Leave your phone on. We can track your location. I’m coming. Are you hurt?”

He wanted to say no. But he really didn’t know. 

“Kihyun? Take some slow breaths for me.”

Kihyun tried to take stock of his body. Did anything hurt? He felt like he was dying but only his throat and fingers physically hurt. “N-No.”

“You’re not hurt?”

“N-Not h-hurt.” He felt tied up by his wet T-shirt. He needed to get rid of it. He twisted himself out of the thing, leaving him half bare under the sun and still suffocating inside his own skin. He didn’t even notice the blood staining the light blue material. 

“I’m on my way. I have to hang up because you can’t have your battery dying on us, ok?”

“Please hurry.” Kihyun whimpered into the phone, curling himself into a ball. 

“You alone?”

“Y-Yeah.”

“I’ll be there soon. Hang in there, Ki.”

———

Hyunwoo had spent half an hour walking around the area Kihyun’s phone was giving a GPS signal from. He’d left the squad car at the side of the road after driving up and down the stretch of rural road several times. 

He felt so fucking stupid. How could he have been so complacent? Horrible scenarios were flashing through his head. Kihyun had said he wasn’t hurt but he had sounded terrible on the phone. Hopefully Jooheon and Changkyun had just tossed him out here. How long had he been laying out in the sun for? What if he had heat stroke or something? Fuck, he should have brought the water from the car. 

This was all such a massive fuck up. Even if Kihyun was right as rain, he’d probably be facing suspension for this. At least. 

He was about to go back to the vehicle to grab the water bottle he had in there when he noticed tyre tracks in the dusty soil. That had to be them, who else would be driving out here off road? He followed the tracks out until he saw something which looked like a person laying on the ground further up ahead, not moving. He ran over, noticing the flash of read hair standing out to him. It was Kihyun. 

“Kihyun!” Hyunwoo ran faster. As he approached he could see he was curled up on himself, his bloodied T-shirt laying next to him and the skin on his back reddened from the sun. Dirt clung all over him, like he’d been rolling around.

Hyunwoo threw himself down into the dirt beside Kihyun, scooping him up into his arms. Kihyun clung onto him instinctively, entire body shaking violently. There was dried blood around Kihyun’s neck and chest, seeping still from broken skin around his neck where a nasty bruise had already bloomed around it. 

“What happened? What did he do?” Even though it was pretty obvious that the marks around Kihyun’s neck were made by something bring pulled tight around it. Probably the abrasive chain links on Changkyun’s handcuffs, Hyunwoo could guess. There was blood on Kihyun’s hands, too. Quite a lot. “Fuck. There’s blood all over your hands.”

“L-Locked me in th-the trunk.” Kihyun’s voice was a course whisper. 

Hyunwoo remembered Kihyun mentioning his claustrophobia. He took Kihyun’s trembling hands and looked closer. Most of his fingernails were bloodied. One had snapped off half way down nastily, two were lifted up from their nail beds and attached only barely. One nail was missing entirely. “Your fingers, Ki…”

“T-Tried to get out. I-I was so scared.”

“Let’s get you to the hospital.” Kihyun must have been so fucking terrified and desperate to have damaged himself like this. Hyunwoo wanted to break into tears, he pulled the redhead in closer to him. 

“J-Jooheon came to get him.”

“Jooheon was there?”

Kihyun nodded.

“We’ll talk about it later.” He lifted the younger man into his arms and stood, carrying him quickly back towards the squad car.

“They’ll get way.” He heard Kihyun say. 

“I only care about you right now. Let’s get you some water and get you to the hospital.” It was so hard to keep it together. Kihyun was a mess and it was all his stupid fault. 

He sat Kihyun in the back. “Drink some water and then you can lay down across the seats.” He grabbed a bottle of water and held it to Kihyun’s lips, supporting his head.

Kihyun whimpered when he swallowed, the action causing him pain but he still took a good few sips. 

“I’m so sorry I let this happen.” Hyunwoo couldn’t keep the tears in any longer.

Kihyun just shook his head, not having the energy to speak again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooohhh only one chapter of main story left! 
> 
> If you’re interested in the JooKyun backstory, never fear because they’re getting their own series which will be on the same timeline as this one! So you’ll get to see everything from their POV and learn more about Minhyuk’s character too! :D
> 
> **NEXT TIME:** Hyunwoo stands at a crossroads. What is justice?
> 
> _______
> 
> **UNRELATED NEWS:** Can I just take this moment to say... oh my god HOLLAND really impressed me with his live performance! And he’s sweet and precious person oh my god <3 he was so nice and I’ll treasure my selcas with him forever <333 
> 
> I am also being blown away by A.C.E rn and I need them to come do a show here! Their twitter feed won’t let me live!
> 
> Also, I am very much getting back to being my old self again now! Yay!
> 
> Oh, and feel free to hit me up on Instagram under IntrovertWanders!


	11. Run, Keep Running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ll need to resign because I think I’m going to do something I really shouldn’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah sorry this was a little later than intended, I got a bit behind from visiting relatives over new year and my birthday and then sadly my godmother sadly passing away. It’s been difficult to get things done and I found it hard to sit and write. 
> 
> **WARNINGS:** Recounting sexual violence but not in detail. Brief reference to possible suicidal thoughts. 
> 
> Anyways here we are! The final chapter! Epilogue to follow tomorrow or Tuesday! (also oops this ch is almost 10000 words... sorry)

**Tuesday 14th August. 2018.**

Kihyun was laying sleeping on the trolley in the treatment bay in the emergency room, curled up on his side and draped in Hyunwoo’s jacket to cover his bare torso, having declined a gown. The combination of exhaustion and pain meds had knocked him out completely. 

Hyunwoo had stood outside the drawn curtains while they’d cleaned up his hands. It sounded painful, they’d had him breathing Entonox but every now and again he’d let out a choked cry of pain. 

Even now, his fingers looked so sore. The nail from the pinky finger on his left hand had been missing the he’d found him and the nail from the middle finger had been one of the ones barely attached, but it was now gone. Clearly unable to be saved.

His neck was badly bruised and the broken skin had been cleaned up with antiseptic. Fortunately there didn’t seem to be any major damage. 

Hyunwoo reached and ran his fingers through Kihyun’s faded orangey red hair gently. 

Kihyun unconsciously nuzzled into his touch. 

The officer sat there for hours, watching over the consequences of his error of judgement until the younger cracked an eye open, dull gaze landing on him. Barely focused. 

“Kihyun… Kihyun I’m so sorry.”

“Take me back to Seoul.” Kihyun managed, eyes closing again. His voice sounded uncharacteristically gravelly and husky. 

“They haven’t said you can go yet.”

The redhead rubbed his face, rolling onto his back with a soft groan. “I don’t have any other injuries and if my airway was gonna swell closed it would have done it.” He swallowed painfully. “Some broken nails and a sunburn aren’t worth staying in hospital for. 

“Kihyun, you’ve been through a lot.” Hyunwoo tried. 

“Please take me home, Hyunwoo.” Tears gathered up in Kihyun’s eyes, he kept them closed in the hope the officer wouldn’t notice. 

“… Let me speak with the doctors.” He got up and left the treatment bay, leaving Kihyun alone. 

Kihyun felt like an idiot. Hyunwoo was probably going to get into serious trouble over this. All because he hadn’t handled the situation. Because he wasn’t on his guard. If he had got those damn car keys back this wouldn’t have happened. Heck, they’d have both Jooheon and Changkyun sitting awaiting questioning in Seoul by now. 

Even if they’d shoved him in that trunk anyway, he should have been able to handle the situation rather than being such a terrified mess. He was so ashamed of himself. Disgusted. 

He looked at his hands, at the missing fingernails and the ones broken off far down his nail beds. He was glad it hurt, he deserved it. His stupid irrational phobia had cost them two suspects and would probably result in a disciplinary for Hyunwoo. Hell, he shouldn’t have pressured him into bringing him along in the first place. He belonged in a lab, he had no business being out questioning suspects with an investigative officer. 

Kihyun closed his eyes, trying not to cry again. 

“Hey Ki? They said you can go but you need to get checked over tomorrow at one of the hospitals back in Seoul. I’ll take you. We can see Hoseok while we’re at it.”

“I’ll take myself.” The younger rasped out, not meaning to sound short with him. He was just too busy keeping his mind together to be civil. 

“I… yeah…” Hyunwoo ran his hands through his own hair, sighing deeply. It made sense that Kihyun would like to see as little of him as possible after he’d put him in harms way. “We’ll stop by a pharmacy and get you some painkillers and some stuff for your sunburn.”

Kihyun eased himself off the trolley, body stiff and legs wobbly. “I just want to go home and shower. I feel so disgusting.” He held the jacket around his shoulder, the fabric rubbing on his sunburnt skin.

Hyunwoo rushed to help him but his hands were slapped away. “I can walk.” Kihyun just couldn’t stand Hyunwoo being so nice and caring right now, he already felt bad enough. 

They headed out to the squad car. Kihyun hadn’t even realised it was a marked police car on their way to the hospital. He’d been too busy curled up in a pathetic ball on the back seat. With his own vehicle now with two escaped criminals, of course he’d have to borrow a marked car. 

Kihyun hesitated before finally climbing in, flinching when the door was closed. The car felt so small. His stomach turned. 

Oh God. It was going to be a long journey home. He closed his eyes, trying to leave his body and force himself to disassociate. To keep the panic away. 

“Are you ok?” Hyunwoo pressed, concerned. 

“No. But please just drive.” He answered abruptly. He could tell Hyunwoo was upset and worried. He knew he wasn’t helping things, Hyunwoo probably thought he was mad at him. He should really explain himself, but he couldn’t. He didn’t have the extra capacity to explain anything right now. He just needed to focus his energy on not freaking out. 

“Just tell me if you need me to pull over.”

“Just please stop taking.” He grit out, glad he couldn’t see the look in Hyunwoo’s eyes. 

It was indeed a torturously long drive, broken up by Hyunwoo having to pull over about half way back to Seoul. The combination of anxiety, the motion of the car and the opiate painkillers made Kihyun’s stomach want to turn itself inside out. 

“Pull over!” 

Hyunwoo had barely come to a complete stop before Kihyun was flinging himself out of the vehicle and onto his hands and knees on the ground, retching and vomiting. Fuck, it hurt his throat so bad. His whole neck felt like it was being ripped apart. 

Tears streamed down his face pathetically. 

He felt a hand gently rub his back, avoiding the sunburned areas. God, how unattractive he must be right now. Hyunwoo would probably never want to go near him again after all this. It didn’t help he was behaving like an asshole. 

“Kihyun…” 

The redhead closed his eyes again. “Just gimme a sec…” 

“Do you want some water?”

Kihyun nodded and felt Hyunwoo’s presence leave his side and quickly return. He opened his eyes and took the water, taking a small sip to try and clear the taste from his mouth. It felt like swallowing razorblades. 

“I’m good.” He took some long breaths, letting the twisting nausea subside before hauling himself up to his feet and forcing himself into the car. 

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” The sooner get got home, the better. 

It was the middle of the night when they arrived back in Seoul. “What’s your access code? If you want to go have a shower I’ll run to the 24hr pharmacy near the station and grab you some stuff and bring it up to you.”

“I don’t— I…” Kihyun started to protest but sighed. “129851C.” He said, still not looking at Hyunwoo as he staggered out of the car. 

Hyunwoo watched Kihyun take himself off up to his apartment. The fucking guilt was killing him. Why did he seem to only hurt the people he cared about? He only ever wanted to help people, it was the whole reason he wanted to be a cop. But here he was unable to help Minhyuk, his actions had resulted in Hoseok almost being killed and now Kihyun had been put in danger and ended up hurt ongoing through a horribly traumatic experience. 

. . .

Kihyun had stripped himself naked and staggered straight over to the bathroom mirror. He grimaced at his reflection, it was the first time he’d seen the results of what had happened. No wonder his throat hurt. It looked horrible, there was a line of broken skin and heavy bruising around the front of his neck. It had been cleaned up at the hospital but they thought it better to leave it to heal in the air than dress it. Kihyun almost wished it had dressings stuck over it to hide the ugliness, if nothing else. 

Turning, he saw the reddened skin along one side of his back, shoulder and upper arm. Fuck. 

He ran the mercifully spacious walk-in shower’s cold water, hoping to soothe the sunburn. 

It did help the prickle of heat in his skin. It also helped to feel the dirt and dust running off his skin and seeing it finally disappear down the drain. He sat on the shower floor, finally unable to keep the tears in. He let them flow and mix with the cold water running over his face. 

He didn’t have an awareness of the time he spent like that. The world finally emptied out from around him, his mind finding respite within the sound of rushing water drowning everything else out. 

He didn’t even realise he was shivering from the cold. 

Didn’t notice the bathroom door opening. 

Or the shower door. 

He was too busy being lost in the white noise of the water and numbing sensation of the cold. It was his version of peaceful silence.

Until it stopped, the water having been turned off. 

Hyunwoo’s face was there in front of him. He was a little wet and kneeling on the floor of the shower, fully clothed with his hands on Kihyun’s bare shoulders. “Kihyun, you’re freezing.”

Was he? “I… I’m sorry.” He croaked out. Stupid, he was so stupid. 

“Why on earth would you be sorry?”

“B-Because I sh-should have stopped them. I shouldn’t have f-freaked out so much.” He locked eyes with the officer. “I’m sorry. Should have t-told you I wasn’t mad b-but my head was still k-kinda stuck locked in that trunk.” He felt the tears again and realised how badly he was shivering. “I was just so scared, Hyunwoo.”

“Kihyun… please don’t be sorry.” He pulled Kihyun into his warm arms. “I shouldn’t have left you with him.” 

“I’m so tired…”

“Let’s get you into bed and warmed up, you’ve been in here a while. I didn’t want to disturb you but I got worried because you didn’t answer when I knocked.” He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around Kihyun’s shoulder before he scooped him up into his arms and carried him into the bedroom, setting him down to sit on the foot of the bed so he could dry him off properly. He was extra careful not to hurt his sunburn. 

“You don’t have to do this for me…” Kihyun said quietly. 

“It will help me feel less horribly guilty, so please let me.” Hyunwoo almost begged as he towelled off colourful hair. “I shouldn’t have put you in danger like that.” He offered up sips from a glass of water and some painkillers. 

Kihyun accepted the pills. Shit, swallowing them really hurt like hell. His throat felt narrow and corse. 

“Where are your pyjamas?” 

The younger motioned to the chest of drawers by the mirror. 

“I bought some aftersun stuff from the pharmacy.” The older grabbed the bottle on his way to fetching the softest pyjamas he could find in the drawer, not wanting it to feel harsh against his skin. 

Kihyun didn’t protest at all, letting Hyunwoo tenderly apply the cream over the reddened areas of his skin. He could feel his eyelids getting heavier and heavier. He tried to button the shirt of his pyjamas himself but his fingers were too sore for such a task, causing him to bite into his lower lip and whimper quietly.

“Don’t.” Hyunwoo kissed the redhead’s knuckles softly and buttoned the pyjamas for him. “Get some sleep.” He guided Kihyun to lay down in the bed, carefully pulling the blankets over him. 

When he went to move away, Kihyun spoke up again. 

“Don’t.” Kihyun parroted back to him, holding out an extended sore looking hand that made the guilt gnaw at Hyunwoo’s bones. “You need to sleep, too. You look exhausted.” Kihyun’s eyes were closed, he just couldn’t keep them open. He was so mentally and physically exhausted but he wanted Hyunwoo next to him. 

“How could you want me near you after I let you down so badly?”

“Because you didn’t let me down and… because I’m probably in love with you and I need you to stop blaming yourself for what happened because I really need to be able to move past it. I need you to put it behind you so I can, too. Letting it eat you alive won’t change anything.” Kihyun forced his heavy eyelids open, they felt like lead. “Please… come sleep.” He croaked. 

“Kihyun, I… you…” Hyunwoo didn’t know what to say. 

Kihyun’s eyes fell closed again. “Just— ssshhh…” He shushed the older, opting for the softer option over his usual _shut up_. His aching body desperately craving restful sleep, he was too tired to even think about how the _L_ word had spilled out of his mouth. He didn’t want to take it back, anyway. 

His fingers and his neck stung, still. So did his sun irritated skin. But the sheer exhaustion won out over all of that. He felt himself drifting off, awareness of his surroundings slipping away. 

He was only slightly conscious of the bed dipping and the shifting of the blankets. A hand resting securely on his hip, away from the sensitive skin on his back and flank. Lips and warm breath against his earlobe. 

“Kihyun… I love you, too.” Hyunwoo’s voice came as a whisper. 

“Mmmhh.” Was the only response Kihyun could muster but he knew Hyunwoo got the gist of it from the gentle squeeze of the hand on his hip. 

**Monday 17th September. 2018.**

Around a month had passed since Changkyun had gotten away with Jooheon and the case had gone well and truly cold. Hyunwoo ended up just chasing his own tail. There was hide nor hair of neither boy. It didn’t help that there was a mountain of paperwork he’d had to fill out relating to why Kihyun had been involved, why Changkyun had been in a situation where he could escape. Not to mention they were now going to be in possession of a police issued firearm.

Hyunwoo spent most of his waking moments searching through Kim’s documents, the disturbing video files and the statements given in questioning of anyone associated with the man. He didn’t know what he was hoping to gain but there was nowhere else to look. 

Hoseok had been released from the hospital but was a long way from returning to work and Hyunwoo had refused to give him any more evidence to look through. He wanted to spare him the distress of it all. Besides, he now had Hyungwon and access to video games to fill his time with.

There was a sudden knock at the office door. 

He looked up, thinking maybe it was Kihyun. Except, Kihyun no longer bothered knocking. “Come in!”

The man who entered, was none other than Director Choi. Hyunwoo’s blood turned to ice, the director coming down here couldn’t be good news. He jumped up out of his seat, trying to scoop together some of the mess of files and papers spread over the desk. “Sir!”

“Sit, sit. This is your office. I’m a guest.” The director smiled, looking around curiously. “It’s quite boring in here, you could do with something on the walls.” He pulled out the chair and sat himself down with an informal posture. “And better furniture.”

“Ah yes, I suppose so. How can I help you?” Hyunwoo sat himself back down, still trying to tidy the area in front of him.

“I couldn’t help but notice you haven’t replied to my emails.” 

“I’m sorry, Sir. I’ve been engrossed in looking for leads.”

Director Choi looked at the mess of documents on the desk and the papers even spilling into stacks on the floor. “So I see. Find anything?”

“No, Sir.” Hyunwoo admitted. 

“I’ve been looking over the reports submitted by yourself and Dr. Yoo, concerning the incident last month. I should probably launch an internal investigation as to why a detained suspect escaped with your car, handcuffs and police issue firearm. All these with one of our forensic scientists ending up injured and traumatised. I’m sure you’re aware we’ve had to provide counselling to him.”

He had indeed been aware. The counselling was helping Kihyun a lot. For that, at least, Hyunwoo was thankful. “I understand, Sir. I’m sorry I’ve let everyone down. I hope you’ll let me see this case to the end before you dismiss me.”

“I’m not going to dismiss you for this. I’m also not going to request a misconduct inquiry. Maybe I should, but Dr. Yoo came to see me and he was very adamant you were not at fault. That he had pressured you into taking him with you and he had let his guard down.” Director Choi poked curiously at a precarious pile of files next to the computer. “Even though you were responsible for his safety.” He peered at Hyunwoo over the rim of his glasses.

“With respect, Sir… after this investigation, can I request my old job? I don’t think I’m cut out for this. Leading an investigation.” It was too much to handle. He could admit defeat. He was man enough for it. 

“Tell you what, I’ll assign you to assist one of your colleagues on one of their current ongoing investigations. But only to give you respite from this case. See this through but don’t let it consume you. Then we’ll talk about your position again.”

Hyunwoo nodded. “Thank you.”

“Hey are you ready to g— oh! Sorry Director Choi.” Kihyun quickly apologised as he barged into the office. 

“Not at all, I’ll leave you two be. Good luck, Hyunwoo. Please remember to respond to my emails, I don’t like using the elevator and my legs are going to ache if I keep having to come catch you in person.” The director stood and bid a polite goodbye to the pair. 

“Sorry. I should have knocked.” Kihyun apologised. 

“It’s fine.” Hyunwoo looked at his watch. “It’s lunchtime already? Time flies.”

The pair had both agreed as part of the terms of Kihyun returning to work only two weeks after the incident, that they’d both go out of the building for lunch every day. It helped to stop both of them getting too consumed in their work. Kihyun was a little limited by his still healing fingertips and would become frustrated with himself easily. So yeah, it was good to get out for a little while. 

“Yup. C’mon big boy, let’s get you out of this increasingly squalid hell hole of an office. It’s a wonder Choi didn’t fire you when he saw the mess.” Kihyun quirked a teasing little smile. 

“How’s your morning been?” Hyunwoo chose to ignore the comment about the state of the room. It wasn’t like he could deny anything. He grabbed his wallet and followed the redhead out of the office. 

“It’s been pretty good except I had Hyungwon coming to ask me horribly invasive questions in front of Jihoon and Junhee so I kinda wanted to die.” Kihyun shuddered at the memory. 

“What kind of horribly invasive questions?” Hyunwoo couldn’t help but laugh, he could only imagine what Hyungwon was asking. 

“Well he’s apparently doing a great job of nursing Hoseok back to health because he’s started to panic about sex and losing his V card. It would almost be cute if it wasn’t so embarrassing.”

“Oh dear, what exactly did he ask you?” Hyunwoo was trying desperately to contain his laughter as they stepped out of the building into the sun. 

“Uh, well yesterday he came in with like 10 boxes of condoms and asked me which ones I’d choose and then he was like opening one up and reading the instructions out loud. I had to drag him out into the corridor.”

“Aw that’s cute. I love his purity.” Hyunwoo cooed. “I hope you were nice to him.”

“Of course I was nice.” He’d been nice in his own way, at least. “Yeah well anyways, today he took things up a notch and asked me how long it takes me to be able to sit properly after having sex. Except that isn’t how he worded it. He called it _receiving anal penetration_. I asked why the hell he was asking me that and he started listing reasons why.”

Hyunwoo almost choked on his own tongue. “Oh my god.”

“So I dragged him outta there again and I could hear Junhee cackling from out in the corridor. I woulda been madder but he’s genuinely anxious about it all. I said not worry right no anyway cos Hoseok can barely walk, let alone destroy his ass. I imagine Hoseok will treat him like he’s made of glass anyway.” He play punched Hyunwoo’s arm. “Unlike you last night. I swear I couldn’t walk straight this morning.” 

Hyunwoo felt himself flush. “But you kept asking for it harder!” He protested.

Kihyun snorted, not denying the allegation. He simply took Hyunwoo’s hand in his, lacing their fingers together as they walked along to the nearby café they’d been frequenting recently. The action made both their hearts flutter. 

Residual pain, missing and broken fingernails aside, Kihyun’s hands had been healing pretty well, but Hyunwoo still insisted on carrying his coffee for him. The younger had just taken to rolling his eyes and letting him do it. It was still sore but he was perfectly capable of doing most things with reasonable ease. But, if it helped Hyunwoo feel a little better about the whole situation, he’d set his stubbornness aside. The man always carried such a heavy conscience. 

His neck had healed well, too. There was still a visible line across the front of his throat, but the bruising had faded well and he’d been assured there wouldn’t be a scar left behind. The pain had faded into a dull ache after about a week and had completely subsided soon after.

Mentally, his claustrophobia had worsened slightly and he’d found himself unable to bare anything near his neck, not able to face wearing a collared shirt ever since the incident. He was receiving counselling, though. Things had begun to improve but he certainly wasn’t back to his normal baseline in many respects. That would take time, he supposed. 

Kihyun sat at a table towards the back of the place, preferring the quieter spot. He observed Hyunwoo helping an elderly woman by carrying her coffee to her able for her and pulling the chair out for her to sit. Ah, such a gentleman. Kihyun found himself smiling like an idiot.

The smile persisted as Hyunwoo came over with their own coffees and sat down opposite. 

“Why are you smiling like that? Is there something on my face?” Hyunwoo blinked. 

“Nothing. Just watching you being chivalrous. You should be careful, a strapping young man like yourself might give an old lady a heart attack.” 

“I was just being a decent person.” The older shrugged. 

“Not everyone is like you, y’know. You are a rare and precious thing these days.” 

“I’d be willing to bet you’d have done the same, Yoo Kihyun. So maybe you’re just as rare.”

“Am not.” Kihyun poked out his tongue, crossing his eyes at him stupidly. 

Hyunwoo choked on his coffee, inhaling some of it and making him cough and splutter between bubbling laughter. 

Kihyun grinned widely, all teeth. His catlike eyes squishing into crescents. Hyunwoo fell in love with that smile every time saw it. 

“Don’t pull faces when I’m trying to swallow something, I’ll die.” Hyunwoo managed when his coughing finally subsided. 

“Well now you’ve said that, I’m definitely gonna pull a stupid face next time you’re swallowing my c—”

“Yah!” Hyunwoo batted at his shoulder across the table. “Don’t you dare!”

“Oh just you watch me. Literally. I can’t wait.” Kihyun giggled. 

“Table 3!” The lady at the counter called. 

“You wipe that idea outta your head, Ki.” Hyunwoo pretended to scold him as he got up to fetch their paninis. 

Kihyun contemplated if he’d actually do it or leave it as an idle threat. Tempting. Maybe he’d leave it a couple of weeks, ample time for Hyunwoo to forget and let his guard down. The redhead gave an evil little chuckle to himself as Hyunwoo returned. 

“You lunch, Sir.” The older joked.

“Thank you, waiter.”

**Tuesday 2nd October. 2018.**

The next two weeks had been better for Hyunwoo in some ways and yet worse in others. 

It was refreshing to work on a different case but he still worked on the whereabouts of Changkyun and Jooheon on the side. At this point it was starting to become a slight obsession. He’d stayed awake later and later at night. Even on the nights he’d spend with Kihyun. 

He’d forget all the pressure and his woes while he kissed and touched the redhead. While they made love, there was only the feeling of Kihyun’s tight heat around him and the sound of his melodic moans and gasps. He was the only thing which existed in Hyunwoo’s world. The redhead would fall asleep with his head on his chest, all beautiful features, parted lips and messed up hair. Hyunwoo would sleep for a couple of hours and then wake up, reaching for his laptop beside the bed and spend a few hours scrolling though anything which might lead him to Changkyun and Jooheon. 

Often, Kihyun would wake up to the glowing light of the computer screen. He’d kiss over Hyunwoo’s shoulder and chest and scold him, telling him to go back to sleep. Hyunwoo would eventually oblige but even in his dreams he saw visions of some of the video footage he’d seen. 

It haunted him. 

Changkyun being pistol whipped while Jooheon cried and was forced to watch in the office. There was footage from the other establishment, too. He’d watched Changkyun obviously on drugs, laying limply on a bed while customer after customer came in and had their way with him. It was disturbing, even as he sped through the clips. No wonder the kid’s eyes were so hollow and desperate. At some points he’d had to slam his computer closed, holding back the need to vomit. It honestly had Hyunwoo doubting what he was doing. 

Pursuing two broken young men who killed a man who tortured them.

It was a crisis of conscience which made him want to just find them and get it over with quickly. He could probably get the same lawyer he found for Minhyuk’s assault case. Park Kyung had been an excellent defence lawyer and had taken a lot of cases like this. 

He’d been clutching at straws when he was looking through crimes reported in or around hospitals. He wondered if there was any theft of medical supplies he could maybe somehow trace back to the pair. By what Kihyun had recounted, he’d been in urgent need of medical attention.

It turned out that clutching at straws paid off when there was a report of two paramedics being threatened at gunpoint to treat a patient in the ambulance without calling it in. It happened three days after Changkyun and Jooheon escaped. 

He read over paramedic’s statement.

_“When we arrived we saw the two males. Both probably in their early twenties but they wore masks and hats so it was hard to tell. One was visibly injured and so we went out to them. The one without the injury pulled a gun and told us to get into the back of the ambulance with them and to treat the other. He said he’d shoot us if we tried to call anything in but he wouldn’t hurt us if we just did what he asked. So, we took them to the back of the ambulance and treated the injury. It looked alike an old laceration to the arm. It was clearly infected and wasn’t closed well by whoever treated it before. He was quite sick, barely able to stand. We washed it out, re-closed it and dressed it as best we could but told them he should go to the hospital for IV antibiotics. The one with the gun asked if we had any and my colleague said yes, we did. They took all the vials of flucloxacillin, sterile water for injection we had and a number of syringes and needles. I also gave them new dressings and stuff to clean the injury with because I figured if they weren’t going to have it treated properly anyway, I may as well give them something to help keep it clean. I also told them how often to administer the antibiotics.”_

He read down to the descriptions given. 

_“The one with the gun had brassy blonde hair. Deep voice. I couldn’t see much of either of their faces, like I said they wore flu masks. He a little short, skinny and had some small tattoos on his hands and arms. He had handcuffs on with the chain broken off them. The other was taller, I think his hair was black but I couldn’t really see under the hat. I was paying more attention to his arm.”_

It had to be them. It just had to be. 

Again, clutching at straws he had requested guest details from all the cheap hotels in that area. If Jooheon was that sick, they surely couldn’t have gone far.

. . . 

Hyunwoo was sitting in bed, finally sure Kihyun had fallen asleep next to him when he opened his laptop to scroll through his emails. The third hotel had gotten back to him with their records. He searched through the scanned pages with his tired eyes until he saw the name _Daniel_. The same name Changkyun had used before. 

But that wasn’t all. 

The guest was paying in cash and was still staying there. 

Hyunwoo had never jumped out of his bed so fast in his entire life, almost dropping the laptop to the floor. 

“Hyunwoo? What the fuck?” Kihyun blinked groggily at him, having jolted awake at the sudden movement. 

“Sorry! Sorry.” He slammed the computer closed and rushed around to grab some clothes. 

“What are you doing? What time is it?” Kihyun was confused, looking at the clock beside the bed. It was only 1:30am. “Fuck, Hyunwoo. Has World War III started or something?”

“I think I’m going to have to resign.” Hyunwoo stated, not answering the question and simply going about almost falling over while trying to pull his underwear on. 

“Why?” Kihyun rubbed his face, trying to wake his brain up enough to process what the hell was happening. 

“I can’t tell you.”

“Hey.” Kihyun said sharply, capturing the older’s attention. “I know the job is hard on you, I know it’s a lot of pressure… but maybe you should transfer to community policing or something. Rediscover why you decided to become a police officer in the first place and all that. Resigning isn’t gonna be the answer.”

“I know why I became a police officer.” He did it to protect those who needed it and to help people. To make a difference. 

“You aren’t resigning because Changkyun and Jooheon got away, are you? It’s still early days, you’ll get them.”

The officer pulled a t-shirt over his head and hauled on a pair of jeans. “I’ll need to resign because I think I’m going to do something I really shouldn’t… I might not do it but there’s a distinct chance I will and I could get in a lot of trouble.” He knew he was being cryptic but he didn’t want to put Kihyun’s job at risk by involving him. 

Kihyun frowned at him. “Is it dangerous? Will it get you hurt?”

“I don’t know. I doubt it.” This could all be a horrible mistake. He could have misjudged the situation and it could land him looking up at Hyungwon from the cold metal table in his lab. He’d looked into the eyes of cold blooded killers and people who were truly twisted. But when he’d looked into Changkyun’s eyes, he just saw a broken, scared, desperate child. 

His eyes fell on the still fading line across Kihyun’s throat and he swallowed, hoping he hadn’t misjudged. 

“Is it illegal?” Kihyun pressed. 

“Extremely.” 

Kihyun let out a long breath, figuring that answer probably means the less he knew, the better. “… Ok. Then you don’t have to tell me. I’ll trust you, but please don’t get hurt or I swear to god I’ll kill you.”

Hyunwoo leaned over, placing a kiss to the frown between Kihyun’s eyebrows. “I’ll be back tonight.” He reassured him. “I need to do this so I can move on with my life.”

“Please don’t get thrown in jail, either. I don’t want to be visiting you from behind an inch thick perspex window.”

That was something else Hyunwoo couldn’t promise. “I’ll do my best not to.”

. . .

The drive out to the town where the hotel was located took about four hours. It was only a little past 6am when he knocked on the door of room 193. The place looked like it had seen better days but wasn’t quite as squalid as the motel along the highway. 

He knocked again when there was no answer. 

He needed his hunch that this was Jooheon and Changkyun to be correct. 

He needed it more than anything. He needed to draw whatever line he could under all this. He felt stuck, imprisoned by this case. 

There were voices from inside and finally and the door cracked open. He recognised Jooheon’s face instantly. 

“Sorry, management sent me up here because there’s a leak in the room under yours and I need to check out if it’s coming from here. Sorry, I know it’s early.” He lied, thanking the universe Jooheon didn’t know him. This would have been difficult if Changkyun had been the one to answer the door. 

He just needed Jooheon to take the chain off. 

Jooheon seemed unsure for a second, glancing behind him. “Kyun, put some clothes on, they need to come check for a leak going to the room under ours.” He turned back to Hyunwoo. “Sorry. One sec, he’s kinda naked.” The young man gave an amused little chuckle. He didn’t look sick anymore, the antibiotics must have worked. 

“No problem.” Hyunwoo shrugged, staying back so Changkyun wouldn’t happen to glance through and see him. 

Jooheon turned back behind him to check and then closed the door to slide the chain off before opening it again, stepping back and allowing Hyunwoo in. 

Hyunwoo took a deep breath, stepping in quickly and raising his badge, kicking the door closed behind him. “I’m sorry, but I’m Officer Son Hyunwoo and I’m here to take you both in.” 

Changkyun was stood by the bed, he spun around sharply. His eyes widened when they landed on the officer. In the next moment he made a move to grab for something but Hyunwoo pulled the gun from the back of his waistband. “Don’t move!” As far as he knew, they boys still had the gun from his car on them. “Please, both of you come stand in the middle of the room.”

Jooheon looked like a deer in the headlights, slowly shuffling to the middle of the room with Changkyun. He looked a lot more sheepish than the younger, who looked on the edge of fight or flight. 

“You’re both under arrest on suspicion of murder, for three counts of theft of a motor vehicle, theft of medical supplies, threatening behaviour with a deadly weapon, possession of an unregistered firearm, absconding from police custody and assaulting and causing bodily harm to an individual.”

“Fuck you, we aren’t going anywhere.” Changkyun spat.

“Please don’t make me add resisting arrest.” Hyunwoo kept his gun elevated. “Both of you kneel on the ground with your hands where I can see them. I’m going to toss you a pair of handcuffs and I want Changkyun to put them on Jooheon.”

The pair exchanged glances before kneeling slowly. Hyunwoo tossed a pair of handcuffs across the floor to Changkyun. 

The young man looked at them with disgust. “I won’t.” He said defiantly. 

“Just do it. It’s ok… it’s over Kyunnie…” Jooheon looked close to tears. 

“This can’t all be for nothing, Honey… it just can’t. I promised everything would be ok.” Changkyun’s voice cracked with the effort of keeping himself from crying, too. 

“Put the handcuffs on me.” The older of the two said quietly. “Listen to your hyung for once.”

Changkyun slowly moved to pick the handcuffs up. Hyunwoo could see his eyes darting around as he desperately tried to calculate a way out. There wasn’t one. They all knew that. It was the end of the road for these boys. The chase had come to an end. 

“Hands behind his back.” Hyunwoo instructed.

Changkyun shot him a glare before slowly locking the handcuffs around Jooheon’s wrists behind his back, eliciting a small noise of discomfort from the older boy, his arm surely still tender. 

“Now turn around, hands behind your back.” Hyunwoo hated doing this, but Changkyun had escaped arrest before. He couldn’t take any risks. They were desperate and desperate people are capable of just about anything. 

When the brassy blonde complied, he securely fastened the other set of cuffs around his wrists and checked the ones on Jooheon were locked correctly. 

“Stand up and walk with me.” He escorted the pair out to his new unmarked car, sitting them securely in the back.

Jooheon looked to be in a lot of pain sat with his arms behind his back. “It’s your arm, right?” The officer asked. 

Jooheon nodded. 

Hyunwoo didn’t want him in unnecessary pain. So, he unfastened one side of the handcuffs and brought his hands in from of him instead. “Better?”

“Thanks…” Jooheon mumbled, eyes downcast and teary. 

. . .

The pair were quiet most of the way. Hyunwoo flicked his eyes to them in the rear view mirror intermittently. They were leaning against each other. They looked exhausted, drained of their fight. 

“Why did you strangle Dr. Yoo?” Hyunwoo asked suddenly. 

“The red haired guy?” Jooheon asked. 

“Yeah.” Hyunwoo nodded. 

“Jooheon had grabbed the car keys and that guy was trying to take them back.” Changkyun started. “We wouldn’t have gotten far if we ran on foot. We needed the car. I just wanted him to let go and stop him so Jooheon could get in and start the car. I just— Jooheon was really sick and the guy said he knew some medical stuff so I figured if I brought him with us he’d be able to help him. I wasn't thinking straight.”

“We were scared if I went to a hospital or something they’d recognise us. Didn’t want them contacting the police about my injuries, either.” Jooheon interrupted.

“The marks around his neck look like someone used a lot of force.” Hyunwoo said slowly.

“I didn’t mean to, I swear! He just freaked out and was pulling like crazy! I could barely keep ahold of him, he almost pulled me off my feet. I didn’t realise the damage until I saw him. I promise I really wasn’t trying to hurt him.”

“He was probably struggling because you were gonna lock him in the trunk. He’s claustrophobic.”

“Kyun, that explains why he was screaming like that and he’d been scratching to get out. Fuck…” Jooheon nudged the younger. 

“Tell him I’m sorry…” Changkyun sighed. “I was just trying to… I don’t know what I was trying to do… Is he ok?”

“For the most part, yeah. Now, anyway.”

“I’m glad…”

“Wait. Son Hyunwoo. I knew I recognised your name. You’re the guy Minhyuk talks about. Right?” Jooheon seemed to be suddenly struck with an urgent thought. “Is he ok? He isn’t in trouble because of us, is he?” 

“He isn’t in trouble, no.”

Jooheon relaxed back. “Oh thank god… when you see him, will you tell him I’m really sorry?”

“I will if I see him but he doesn’t want me around him anymore.”

“I don’t think that’s true, from how he talks about you.” Jooheon said honestly. “Tell him I’m ok. I don’t want him to worry but he’s probably still angry with me.”

Silence fell over them again. 

Hyunwoo’s fuel gauge was in the red and so he pulled into the first gas station he saw out on a long stretch of road. “I can’t leave you in here to go inside, otherwise I’d ask if you needed anything to eat or drink.” He said apologetically to the two.

Neither replied, the younger only shrugging. 

Hyunwoo climbed out of the car, making sure the doors were locked and began filling the tank. 

He still didn’t know what the fuck he was gonna do. He knew exactly what he was supposed to do but he just didn’t want to. 

He sighed deeply, hanging the pump back up and paying with his card before leaning against the side of the vehicle, slumping down with his head in his hands. The conflict biting at his stomach painfully. 

His job wasn’t to hand down a sentence or dole out justice how he saw fit. That’s what a court of law was for. He was just there to facilitate that. That’s what he had to do. These boys had murdered a man and hurt Kihyun…

If he listened carefully he could hear the conversation coming from inside the car. 

“Hyung... you saved me by giving me hope. I forgot what it was like to smile until I met you. I’m sorry I fucked everything up.” There was a long pause before he heard Changkyun speak again. “You’re my reason to live and that’s why you need to let me repay you.”

“Changkyun, I don’t understand.”

“We’re going to tell them I coerced and threatened you. That it was all on me, everything.”

“No!”

“Joo, they’ll separate us. We won’t end up in the same prison. No use in us both being locked away forever.”

“I don’t want to be without you.”

“You have to. Please... let me protect you this time. I’ve failed so far but let me do something good with my useless life. You have Minhyuk. He’ll keep you safe, you have someone other than me but without you I have nothing. I have far less to lose, I have no hope, no value and no future. Only you. You’re the meaning in my life and you need to let me do this for you. All I’ve done is drag you down and get you hurt…”

“No.” Jooheon said firmly. “I won’t let this all come down on you. I’ve done a pretty good job of fucking up my life and dragging myself down so you don’t get to take credit for that, either. You have so much value and I need for you to be able to see it.”

“It doesn’t make sense for us both to get life behind bars and you know it. At least this way… maybe you’ll get a year or two as an accessory and then you can come visit me. The alternative is we could spend our separate lives rotting in different prisons. I can’t bare that.”

Hyunwoo rubbed over his face, taking another deep breath. Those two just wanted to protect each other. Hyunwoo could relate. 

Fuck. 

He stood and rounded the vehicle, climbing back into the driver’s seat. The boys had stopped talking the moment the door opened. 

. . .

It was almost another hour before the silence was broken again. 

“It was me, I killed Kim. I hit him with the pipe.” Jooheon suddenly admitted. “Let him go, I coerced him. Please.” 

“No hyung!”

“Changkyun, please. Please let me do this for you.”

“I fucking did it! You’re not going down for something I did.” Changkyun’s voice was strained by a begging lilt.“I have to take you both in anyway, I’m sorry.” Hyunwoo tried to focus on the road. 

“It was the only way! He was gonna kill us both. He sliced open Jooheon’s arm with a knife, he’s lucky it wasn’t his throat!” The blonde argued. 

“Then you can claim self defence in court.”

A short pause. “Do you have any idea what that man was like?” Changkyun’s voice came out tight. 

“Yes.” 

“Do you? Do you know how he loved to use me as an ashtray? I was a child when people like him preyed on my innocence and ignorance. He bought me cheap from them like I was a sack of low quality meat. He beat me in front of Jooheon, telling us it would be him next if he caught us together again.” Changkyun leaned forward, his pained, broken eyes watery with tears as he locked gaze with Hyunwoo in the mirror for a moment. “You know what he did not long before we escaped? He forced drugs down Jooheon’s throat so he couldn’t fight. He handcuffed me to a water pipe in the corner of the room while a bunch of people paid him to come in and rape Jooheon all fucking night. You don’t know how fucking satisfying it was to hear his skull crack.” His voice was low but unsteady. “So yeah, I killed him. Not Jooheon.”

“Changkyun please stop.” Jooheon said quietly.

“We had no other choice… we had to run. We had to be free. He chased us down. He was gonna kill both of us so I picked up that pipe and I hit him. He went down but I kept hitting him and hitting him.” Changkyun tears were flowing openly crying now, unable to stop them from falling. I just wanted us to have a better life and maybe we would have had it if he hadn’t followed us. If I hadn’t had to kill him…But even though he’s dead it’s all still waiting behind my eyes whenever I close them.”

“Changkyun...” Jooheon leaned against him, nuzzling his shoulder. 

“We just wanted to start again. We just wanted to live like human beings but he had to come after us. Had to have that knife pointed at Jooheon’s throat. The pipe was just laying there in the dust like fate itself put it there. I didn’t even think about it.” Changkyun sniffled. “All we ever wanted was to work some shitty fucking job scrubbing pans or picking up garbage for almost no money but to not be owned by anyone. I wanna work my fingers to the bone all day and flop into bed, aching and exhausted next to Jooheon. Just the two of us, free to just live.”

Hyunwoo didn’t say anything. He couldn’t. Instead, he took the next exit off the highway, taking them off course.

Jooheon seemed to realise. “Seoul is the other way.”

“I know.” Hyunwoo admitted, still not sure about what he was about to do.

The boys tensed up, obviously worried. 

“You should both use a different name everywhere you go. The name Daniel is how I found you. Don’t steal any more cars, it’ll draw attention. Don’t stay in one place too long. Give it two years and interest will be completely lost in you by the authorities. You can get fake passports after that and leave the country if you wish, that’s what I’d recommend. Take a boat, not a plane. Port authorities are less likely to scrutinise you than airport security and immigration control. But don’t try to leave yet. Let the case grow colder.” 

“What are you saying?” Changkyun asked, confused as to why Hyunwoo would be telling them this.

“I’m saying I’m flushing my career down the toilet. Hopefully they won’t find out I made enough connections to find you, but it’s not on record so if I’m lucky I won’t go to jail myself.”

“Are you… letting us go?” Changkyun frowned, clearly not believing it. 

“I doubt anyone will think to look at the report from that ambulance crew you stole from and make the connection. It was a shot in the dark for me, even. They won’t know I looked, either. They probably won’t pin down that location at all. Don’t go back there, though. Just to be safe.”

“Why would you do this? I don’t understand.” Jooheon questioned. 

“Because I don’t think you’re a danger to the public and I… I don’t think I could live with seeing you put behind bars. It doesn’t seem fair. A lot of people would probably disagree with me, though. I’m way too soft for this job, apparently. Everything’s easier when bad guys hurt innocent people.”

They reached a stretch of road outside a small town and Hyunwoo pulled over, getting out to let Jooheon out first, undoing the handcuffs. “Don’t try contacting Minhyuk right now, it’s too risky. I’ll pass on your message, don’t worry.” He reassured the young man. 

Jooheon nodded, rubbing his arm. 

“Is it getting better?” Hyunwoo furrowed his brows at the action. 

“Yeah, infection’s gone now but just kinda sore still.” 

Changkyun had taken it upon himself to clamber across the back seats and out onto the side of the road with his hands still cuffed behind his back. 

“Just please stay out of trouble. Don’t make me regret this.” The officer unlocked Changkyun’s handcuffs. 

“You won’t regret it. Thank you… I’m sorry about your colleague. I… I wasn’t thinking. After you were kind enough to feed me in that interview room, too. Thank you so much. We can’t ever repay you.”

“You can repay me by making sure I don’t see your faces on the news, ok?”

“If we do get found, we won’t rat you out. I swear. Not that we plan on getting found.” Changkyun offered a hand out to shake, the little sad face tattooed had a smile added to it since Hyunwoo had last seen it. 

He shook the young man’s hand. “Stay smart. You’ll be fine.”

. . .

As soon as he arrived back in Seoul, Hyunwoo Hyunwoo went straight to Minhyuk’s rundown apartment building, pausing to fire off a message to Kihyun. 

**Hyunwoo 6:32pm**  
_I’m ok, I promise. Can I come over? Hour or so?_

He looked up at the building, it was still a little too early for Minhyuk to be out. He was probably still getting dressed and preparing his makeup.

Hyunwoo’s phone buzzed. 

**Kihyun 6:33pm**  
_Of course. Been worried sick. Don’t be long, k? Just got home._

With that, Hyunwoo made his way up to Minhyuk’s door number. He’d only been here a couple of times before. He pressed the buzzer and waited.

It didn’t take long for the door to open, revealing Minhyuk behind it. He was wearing a purple dress or skirt which ended around mid-thigh. Over it, he wore a baggy yellow hoodie and his feet were bare with nils painted purple. He wasn’t wearing his wig and hadn’t finished his makeup, only having foundation on and some coppery shimmer around his eyes. His eyes which looked red from crying. 

As soon as Minhyuk realised it was him, he tried to shut the door, but Hyunwoo put his foot in the door before he could. “Min, wait!” 

“I thought I told you to stay away.”

Hyunwoo pushed the door open more, being significantly stronger than Minhyuk. “Why are you crying?”

“None of your concern. Leave me alone!”Minhyuk snapped. 

“Min, please let me in.” He could have just walked in if he wanted to, but he respected Minhyuk too much for that. 

“No.”

“It’s about Jooheon.”

Minhyuk’s frown melted into worry, fresh tears gathering. “Oh god, is he dead? Please, not him too.” He backed away a little, hands coming up to cover his face. 

“No! He’s alive. I tracked him and Changkyun down.” 

“Then I need to see him. Please, you have to let me see him. I—” He hurried forward, trying to push past Hyunwoo but was caught in the older’s arms. 

“You’re shaking, Min… what’s wrong?” Minhyuk seemed shaken and upset by something else as well as Jooheon. 

“Just tell me what’s going on with Jooheon. What’s he charged with?” He asked urgently. 

“Nothing. I let them go.”

“What? But you’ll lose your job! No, actually you’ll go to jail for this. Why the fuck would you do that?” Minhyuk frowned, looking at him like he was insane. 

“I couldn’t see them sent down for life, Min. That wouldn’t be helping anyone. I can’t do this anymore. You were right, I’m not cut out for this life. I can’t keep my job after this, as soon as I make sure the untraceable documents are gone I’ll have to quit the force.” He’d made sure not to inform anyone he was going after them that day and hadn’t entered his leads from the last two weeks into the database, knowing in the back of his mind it might come to this. “Jooheon wanted me to tell you he’s sorry and that he’s ok. It’ll be too dangerous for him to contact you for a long time but he’s ok, I promise.”

“He doesn’t need to be sorry… that dummy.” Minhyuk dried his own fresh tears. 

Hyunwoo pulled him in against him. “He means a lot to you, I know he does.”

Minhyuk just nodded and clung him, allowing himself to indulge in the warmth of someone who cared about him. 

“Why were you crying when I got here, Minhyuk?”

A soft sniffle came from the younger. “She’s dead. My sister. She died six days ago and I hate being here. I hate having the empty time I would have spent caring for her. Hate the hours of sleep. Having nobody here when I walk in at dawn. Nobody tel tell myself it’s worth it for.”

So that’s what Minhyuk had meant when he asked if Jooheon was dead _too_. “Oh Minhyuk… I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you come to me?”

“Because I tried to cut you off, remember? But here you are… so annoyingly kind hearted. So fucking good that you let Jooheon and Changkyun go. You’re too good to be associated with me.” Because his misery would suck everything from someone like Hyunwoo, because he couldn’t take his help. “Natural selection kills off people like you.”

“Minhyuk, I’ll ask you again to please let me help you now. You can stay with me and I’ll get you back on your feet.”

“No.” Minhyuk pulled himself away from the comforting embrace. “Because you will put everything into me and you’ll bleed yourself dry. That’s how you are. Think about yourself and your little firecracker boyfriend. I’ll take care of myself, I’ve done it for this long. Besides, you’re about to be jobless so you probably shouldn’t be asking me to come stay with you.”

Hyunwoo sighed, knowing how much Minhyuk valued his independence. “I won’t insist on you coming with me on one condition.”

“Oh?”

“If you ever become _desperate_… promise you’ll come to me.”

Minhyuk studied over his face. “You mean if I ever find myself staring down into the river? Fine.”

“It’s ok to need help.”

“Take your own advice. You can’t save everyone if you can’t save yourself. But I promise I’ll ask you for help if I ever do find myself contemplating the cold, deep waters. Even if it’s just to spare you the guilt.” Minhyuk bit at his thumbnail.

“I’ll still keep dropping by, though. To check in on you. You’re my friend, after all.” Hyunwoo smiled softly. 

“I don’t have friends.”

“You do. Whether you want them or not.”

Stuffing his hands into his hoodie pockets, the younger leaned his forehead on Hyunwoo’s shoulder. “Thank you for what you did for Jooheon…” He looked up with a small but genuine smile. “And Changkyun too, I guess.” He rolled his eyes a little. “I guess the shrimp ain’t that bad.”

“Ah, speaking of shrimps, I better report back to Kihyun. He’s gonna kill me if I don’t get there soon.”

“Ah, how cute. He keeps you on a tight leash. I knew I kinda liked him for a reason. If you’d ever like to spice things up and hire me for a threesome I’d be happy to oblige.” He winked playfully. 

“Somehow I don’t think Kihyun would be into that.” Hyunwoo chuckled. “You be careful tonight, ok?”

“Yeah yeah. Bills to pay, funerals aint free.” Minhyuk shrugged. “You know I can handle myself.”

“Yeah, there’s a guy wandering round missing an eye who’s testament to that.” 

. . . 

When Kihyun’s eyes landed on an exhausted looking Hyunwoo at his door, he could only fling his arms around the older. He wasn’t sure exactly when the other man started feeling like home, but it didn’t matter. 

“I don’t wanna talk about whatever you did. I’m just glad you’re ok.” He mumbled against Hyunwoo’s neck. 

“I’m quitting my job by next week.” That said it all. Whatever he was possibly going to do had been done. Kihyun wouldn’t press it. 

The younger pulled back to land a slow kiss on him, not concerned by his neighbour’s prying eyes. 

“I feel so… relieved.” Hyunwoo admitted as Kihyun tugged him inside. “Like the weight of the world has been lifted off me.”

“Good. You’ll have plenty of energy to apply for jobs first thing in the morning, then.” Kihyun winked, flashing a joking grin. “Cos I’m not gonna be lending you money.”

“Of course not.” Hyunwoo laughed, picking the smaller man up like he weighed nothing. “I love you, y’know.” 

“I know. I tolerate your presence, too.”

“Shut up, Ki.” Hyunwoo laughed, kissing Kihyun’s nose. 

Kihyun pretended like he was gonna bite him, snapping his teeth. “That’s my line.” The redhead bumped their foreheads together, taking advantage of Hyunwoo holding up to the same hight as him. “I love you, too. Even though you’re about to no longer have access to a squad car or the shooting range.” He teased. “Now put me down cos my rice is gonna burn to the bottom of the pan.”

“Yessir.” Hyunwoo complied, a smile still beaming across his face. It really did feel like a great weight had been taken off him. He felt like he could breathe again for the first time in so long. Maybe people would call him a quitter or even a criminal. 

But in the end, he had to live with himself and answer to his own moral compass. If he died in his sleep, his conscience would be clear. 

The line was finally drawn under it all.

If he got found it, so be it.

He just hoped Changkyun and Jooheon wouldn’t squander this chance. But it was up to them.

—END.

Epilogue to follow…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To reiterate I am so sorry this was a little later than intended, I got a bit behind from visiting relatives over new year and my birthday and then sadly my godmother sadly passing away and I started back at work recently also. It’s been really hard to sit and write for the last couple of weeks.
> 
> But in happier news, I managed to grab a great ticket to see SuperM in London :D So it’s nice to have something I can look forward to! Honestly it’ll be worth it just to witness Baby Don’t Stop with my own two eyes.
> 
> _____
> 
> **BUT STAY TUNED!** There’s still unanswered questions, some of which will be addressed in the epilogue (in the next couple of days) and everything else will be answered in the spin-off series focussing on the story from Jooheon and Changkyun’s side! (I didn’t want to reveal too much about them in this story cos they’re getting their own).
> 
> \- _Jooheon watched out of the corner of his eye as Changkyun dragged the ramshackle tattoo gun over the pink, scarred circle on his arm. He was slightly curious but not great with the sight of blood so never watched in any detail. “Why do you do it?” He asked out of the blue. He hadn’t ever questioned it before. _
> 
> _“Makes me feel like my body’s mine.” The younger stated, not looking away from the shape of the crooked black star he was making. _
> 
> _“Does it hurt?” It must have hurt, surely. But Changkyun never even seemed to flinch. The tramadol he’d swallowed might have something to do with that, though. _
> 
> _“Yes. But not as much as the cigarette burn.” He set the tattoo gun down and wiped over his arm with a damp cloth when he was done. _
> 
> _“Why stars?”_
> 
> _Changkyun shrugged. “Dunno. There’s nothing I really care about enough to put thought into having it on me forever. Stars are just easy to do.” It wasn’t entirely true, there was one thing he cared about. Or rather, someone. Someone he cared about more than anything else in the world. That someone was sat just across the small, dirty room, knees drawn up to his chest and observing him._ -
> 
> Keep a watch out for **_Curious Case of the Boy in the Night._** \- COMING SOON!
> 
> Oh and come say hi on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/TheClamp2) ! :D If anyone chooses to follow me I’ll of course follow back. I post updates and also some extra visual content for fics (and sometimes photos of my cat…).


	12. Epilogue + Deleted Scene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally arrived at the epilogue! Just a short one! I also included a deleted scene!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whenever I write a story, a lot gets changed, added and cut out from the rough version, so I end up with a lot of deleted scenes. I thought I’d share one of Hyungwon and Hoseok’s deleted scenes with you guys!

_One of the most poignant things I’ve learned in my career is that death can come at any moment. It can strike without warning and does not discriminate. Young or old, guilty or innocent. _

_Life is too short and precious to spend worrying if you’ve done the right thing or not. It doesn’t change what you’ve done. Yes, t’s easier said than done to not let things weigh on me, but Ive learned to not let it break my back. _

_I worked private security after I left the force. Volunteering at a community centre in my free time, of which I could afford because of the good pay I received in security. _

_Kihyun never asked me about Jooheon and Changkyun again. I think he probably knew, anyway. _

_My long suffering Kihyun, always putting up with my untidiness and disorganisation. Last week, I tried to help him do laundry but didn’t separate the colours properly and turned his new white t-shirt a shade of baby pink, along with all my work shirts. I tried to argue that real men wear pink, but he wasn’t buying it. _

_Still, I think I continue to fall even more in love every day. I say I’m a romantic, Kihyun says I’m s big sap. _

_I didn’t see Minhyuk for almost a year after I went to deliver Jooheon’s message to him. He’d left his apartment and I couldn’t find him anywhere. Honestly, I feared the worst. I gave Hyungwon his photograph and had constantly half expected him to inform me Minhyuk’s body had come in. Murdered or dragged out of the river. But it never did. _

_One day, there were a series of calls from an unknown number on my phone. I didn’t answer the first time, or the second. But on the third, I did. At first I didn’t recognise the voice on the other end of the line. _

_It was Minhyuk. _

_He assured me he wasn’t desperate, wasn’t on the edge. But he was ready to ask me for help with getting his life back on track. He wanted to finish his education and needed somebody to vouch for him. Of course, I agreed. _

_I must admit, Kihyun was not best pleased when I told him I’d invited Minhyuk to stay with us for a while, to make sure he stayed on the straight and narrow through hi studies. In fact, he didn’t speak to me for almost two days. In fairness, I should have probably run it by him first. _

_It was a little rocky for the first few weeks. They’d both argue and bicker constantly whenever they were both at home. But eventually, Kihyun warmed to him. He’d started offering to help Minhyuk with his work from classes and soon he was chasing Minhyuk down the street because he’d forgotten to take his lunch with him. _

_He’d kill me for saying this, but Kihyun had gotten teary eyed when Minhyuk graduated, and again a few months later when Minhyuk moved out, having found himself a stable job. _

_As for Hoseok, he had to leave active duty, the damage to his shoulder joint was too severe for him to continue. However, he did end up teaching in the academy. Hyungwon took on an intern and learned to work alongside somebody and share his lab space, it allowed him to branch out and begin giving guest lectures at the university. _

_They both continue to be a model of the perfect couple. _

_If you’re wondering about Jooheon and Changkyun, I honestly don’t really know what happened to them. I never heard anything from the case and had never heard anything of their arrest. _

_If I had to guess, I’d say that Minhyuk had probably heard from Jooheon at some point. He didn’t seem to even mention any concerns about their welfare, which probably meant he knew they were ok. I think it’s understandable he wouldn’t want to share the information, so I simply never asked. I like to think my hunch is correct, though. _

_I’ve never regretted letting them go. Not for a single moment. _

_The world isn’t black and white. It also isn’t just shades of grey. It’s every colour of the rainbow, and thensome._

_At least when my time comes, I can breathe my last without a heavy conscience. _

_— Sincerely, Son Hyunwoo. _

_________________

**DELETED SCENE**

Hoseok was sat on the edge of the bath tub while Hyungwon was kneeling in front of him, a pair of sterile gloves on his hands as he peeled the dressing off from around Hoseok’s shoulder. 

“Hold nice and still for me.” Hyungwon warned, removing the dressing entirely. 

“Ow.” Hoseok winced. 

“Sorry.” The younger peered at the surgical wound. “It looks really good. I think we can leave the dressing off now. Let me just give it a bit of a clean.” 

His other incisions had healed well and he hadn’t needed them dressed for a good few weeks now, but his shoulder had suffered a mild infection which had slowed the healing process. 

Hoseok got a little lost in the look of concentration on Hyungwon’s handsome face for some long moments. He watched as the round framed glasses slipped ever further down his nose while the younger cleaned his skin. It was a little tender, but he was too busy staring to care about the sting. 

“Not hurting you, am I?” Hyungwon asked. 

No response. 

“Hoseok? Are you having a cerebral event? Can you smile so I can check both sides of your face are even?”

“Huh?” Hoseok snapped out of it, smiling genuinely. 

“Ah good, you don’t appear to be having a stroke.” Hyungwon smiled back, pulling off his gloves and pushing his glasses back up. 

“Sorry, I was just stuck looking at how beautiful you are.” The older admitted honestly. 

“Oh. I see. I don’t know how to respond to that, but I’m flattered.” Hyungwon was blushing slightly.

“Thank you for taking such good care of me, Hyungwon.”

“It’s ok, I like taking care of you. Makes me feel useful.” Hyungwon stood and discarded the old dressing and the gloves. 

Hoseok hauled himself up, hip still rather sore. He didn’t bother putting his shirt back on as he tried to hobble out into the bedroom. 

“Wait! Let me help you.” Hyungwon took his good arm around his own shoulders.

“I’m afraid if I lean too much of my weight on you. You might snap.” Hoseok chuckled, letting the taller help him walk and sit on the edge of the bed. 

“Don’t worry, I don’t have abnormal bone density. I take vitamin D supplements for my deficiency.” Hyungwon helpfully assured him. 

“Come here.” Hoseok said softly, gently cupping Hyungwon’s cheek and kissing him tenderly. He loved how plush and soft his lips felt against his own. His hand found it’s way to Hyungwon’s waist, pulling his slim body to stand between his legs. 

Hyungwon was used to kissing now, he enjoyed it despite his initial fears that he wouldn’t. Even as Hoseok deepened the kiss, their tongues sliding together. He melted a little into the feeling, one hand bracing on Hoseok’s good shoulder but still unsure what to do with the other. 

One of Hoseok’s hands slipped a little lower, finding warm soft skin under Hyungwon’s t-shirt at the small of his back.

Hyungwon froze, body suddenly going tense. 

“Shit, Hyungwon I’m sorry.” Hoseok had noticed instantly, pulling both his hands back.

“N-No. It’s fine. It’s my fault for being weird. I’m your boyfriend, of course you want to be able to touch me. I-It’s fine. Go ahead and touch me.” Hyungwon closed his eyes, pretending he was in a nice confined space. He had to let Hoseok touch him intimately at some point, he may as well get it over with, right? His chest felt tight with anxiety over the looming unknown. 

“Hyungwon… I don’t want to touch you if it makes you uncomfortable.” This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. “Hey, remember I said that sometimes I need you to explain things to me so I can understand? This is one of those times. I don’t want to end up doing anything that’ll make you distressed. Please talk to me.”

Hyungwon bit into his own lower lip. “I…” Maybe he should take Kihyun’s advice and be honest. If anyone would understand, it was Hoseok. “Wait.” It was all a little too much. So, he climbed onto the bed and pulled the blankets up over himself so that he was entirely covered. His world felt comfortably small and isolated, with minimal sensory stimulation. He knew his behaviours were strange to most people, but he knew Hoseok didn’t judge him like other people did. Hoseok was always so kind and accepting. So maybe it really would be ok if Hyungwon opened up and explained what was wrong. 

“Do you want to be alone?” Hoseok asked, shifting a little but still sat on the bed. 

“No. Can I talk to you from under here?”

“Of course. Whatever you need to be calm.”

“I… I know it’s normal that you’d expect to have sex with me because we’re in a romantic relationship, but… but I’ve never had sex before. Nobody’s ever touched me or kissed me except for you. I-It’s so unfamiliar to me and I don’t know what to expect from my body and that scares me so much. I tried to do research and I asked Kihyun advice but he got kinda mad at me and honestly, my research has made me even more scared.” Hyungwon felt tears in his eyes. “I don’t want you to not want to be with me. I’m so scared because I find new things so terrifying. What if I freak out half way through and you don’t like me anymore?”

“Hyungwon…” Hoseok wanted to reach out and hug him but Hyungwon was easily startled by unexpected physical contact. “There’s nothing that would ever make me not want you. If you don’t want to have sex then that’s fine. I can live with that. I would never want to make you do something you’re uncomfortable with.”

Hoseok was really ok with this? “I-I want to.” Hyungwon sniffled. “But not yet. I’m not ready yet. It’s too much. But I do want to. I ever wanted to until lately.”

“We’ll take as long as you need. We’ll go nice and slow. We can try touching and things like that to start with when you’re ready. But only when you’re totally ready. Ok? I’m sorry, I should have been more sensitive.”

“You don’t need to be sorry. You aren’t the problem, I am.” Hyungwon could count the times he’d ever wanted to be ‘normal’ on one hand. In fact, there had been exactly four so far in his life. This as one of those times. What he wouldn’t give to be able to just fling himself at Hoseok. 

“Can I hug you, Hyungwon?”

“Can I stay in here?” Came Hyungwon’s quiet voice from under the blankets. 

“Of course.” Hoseok shuffled closer and hugged him carefully. “I love you, Hyungwon. I’d happily wait out my lifetime even for a peck on the cheek from you.”

He really would, wouldn’t he? Hyungwon’s chest felt full. It wasn’t like anxiety, it was different. It was something good and warm. “I like kissing, though. So you don’t have to wait for that.” The younger pulled back a little to let the blanket fall away from himself and leaned in to peck Hoseok’s lips. “Love is a release Oxytocin, Serotonin and Dopamine. I’m pretty sure my levels are rather high.” 

“Hyungwon, are you saying you love me?” Hoseok beamed. 

“I am.” Hyungwon smiled back, adjusting his glasses on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s the end! Thank you for sticking with me! Don’t forget to stay tuned for the spin-off series to find out about Jooheon and Changkyun’s side of the story! **Curious Case of the Boy in the Night.**
> 
> Also, my short series between this and the spin-off (_Bite the Apple_) will now be going to weekly updates. Check that out if you want some supernatural dark n gritty! 
> 
> And in other news: If you frequent the A.C.E forum then be on the look out for my first multi-chap in that fandom! _You’re a Cactus_ is due to land sometime in March! 
> 
> _______
> 
> Thank you again to everyone who has stuck with this story and I hope to see you again for the next one! I am forever grateful to anyone who takes the time to read my fics!
> 
> Oh and come say hi on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/TheClamp2) ! :D If anyone chooses to follow me I’ll of course follow back. I post updates and also some extra visual content for fics (and sometimes photos of my cat…).


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